A New Bundle of Joy
by wulfpatronus
Summary: With Hannah here, the family's now complete. Follow Hannah's journey from birth to age one in this sequel to Make Room for Baby. This is before season four to Hannah's first birthday! Read Make Room for Baby before reading this if you haven't.
1. Welcome Hannah (May 31, 1994)

(A/N: Here's the story! I changed the title to Isn't She Lovely. If you're new, please read Make Room for Baby for this to make sense! Enjoy! –Sam)

Brad's POV

Late last night, Mom went into labor so she left with Dad and our grandparents. Since we were asleep, I figured Mom and Dad decided to let us sleep. We wouldn't be able to do anything there anyways, so we didn't mind. We'd get to go see our new sister when Dad called and gave the okay. While Mom was at the hospital, we would be with Wilson over at our house.

"Hi guys," Mom smiled at us and sat in the hospital bed. Dad was sitting next to her and had one arm around Mom and the other "supporting" Hannah.

We walked in with Wilson and Nana sat on the chair with Grandpa. Grandma was on the other chair with Marty and Nancy there too.

"Boys, meet your new sister. Hannah Jillian Taylor," Dad told and we gathered around her.

Wrapped in a pink blanket was a tiny baby that was sleeping. Seriously, she was as small as a bag of flour, but she looked really cute. Thin dark brown hair covered her head and I figured her eyes were blue. One of her hands was wrapped around Mom's finger and the other tucked in her blanket.

"Why's she sleeping?" Mark asked.

Mom chuckled and adjusted Hannah who sneezed. "She's tired. She had a rough day, didn't you, honey?" Mom stroked her cheek.

Hannah turned and opened her mouth and Randy's face lit up.

"Isn't that a reflex, Mom?" Randy looked eagerly and Hannah closed her mouth. She returned to sleeping.

Mom chuckled. "Yep. When a baby's cheek is stroked, it'll do that. Brad, do you wanna hold her first since you're the oldest?"

I nodded and climbed onto the bed. Dad moved over so that we'd have room to get on the bed and take a picture.

"She's so cute," I held her and pushed the blanket out of her face.

Hannah's eyes opened and she looked up at me. Like Dad, Randy, Mark and I, she had bright blue eyes and I just melted. I know, I'm not supposed to melt. I'm a guy and guys don't do that! But, I did. This tiny little being was my sister and I'd go to the ends of the earth for her.

"Hi, Hannah. I'm your biggest brother. You can call me Brad or Bubba, I looked at her and she flashed a smile at me.

Mom smiled and looked at me. "Still happy about having a sister?"

"Yeah, I love her! Hannah, you've got five fierce protectors, so you don't have to worry about anyone hurting you," I smiled.

Randy nodded in agreement. "After Mom and Dad, your big brothers are the fiercest protectors. We won't let anyone hurt you."

Mom kissed his head. "You guys will be amazing big brothers. Can Randy have a turn holding her, Brad?"

I nodded and handed her over to Randy.

Randy's POV

I looked at my baby sister and smiled widely. How did this little baby steal my heart already at only one-day old? I wasn't supposed to get gushy, but I cared less about that "rule" known by guys. It was also a universal rule that brothers were protective of their sisters. She had three brothers who she could count on and run to the moment she needed us.

"I love you, Hannah. Bubby loves you more than anyone," I started playing with her hands and she gripped onto my finger.

Brad looked at her with a smile. "She's the prettiest girl in the whole world!"

Mark nodded in agreement and looked down at her. "She'll be a heartbreaker."

Brad smirked and looked at us. "You know what that means?"

I laughed with a nod. "That means we'll run over anyone who breaks her heart."

Hannah had gone back to sleep while I was rocking her and I beamed down at my baby sister who was now fast asleep in my arms. With a yawn, her tiny hand grabbed mine and I kissed her head. With Brad, Mark and I here, no one could or would dare to hurt this precious being.

"Bubba and Bubby have something for you, Sissy," I handed her a stuffed lion. "That's to remind you that we're always here for you, Hannie."

I handed her to Mark and smiled.

Mark's POV

My hands shook a little but I held Hannah and she was sleeping happily. Her tiny body was wrapped in the blanket but one of her hands grabbed mine. Now, I knew why Mom, Dad, Brad and Randy were really excited for a sister. She was bringing feelings I never knew I had.

I was now a big brother and had someone to protect. Yeah, I wasn't the baby anymore, but who cares? Being a big brother meant that I could mentor someone and do what Brad and Randy did to me. I knew that Dad and Mom would frown upon that, but oh well.

"Mom, why does Hannah need a blanket?" I looked at her.

"She gets cold easily, honey. Babies don't regulate heat like we do just yet."

Jill's POV

Since Wilson and the boys had to go soon, I decided to let Wilson hold her before they left so that he had a chance. My parents, Tim's mom and Marty and Nancy would get to once Wilson and the boys were gone. It warmed my heart that she had so many people that loved her.

Tomorrow, Marty and Nancy would go home. We wouldn't see my sisters until July when we went to Houston and we wouldn't see Tim's family until Christmas. While I knew Mom wanted to help, I wanted to do it on my own. This was my fourth baby and I didn't want a lot of visitors. I already told her and Dad and they were a bit mad, but they understood.

Wilson smiled with Hannah in his arms. "Hello, little one, do you like this?" He made cooing noises at her.

Hannah yawned sleepily and I smiled at my little bundle of joy.

….

I put Hannah in Tim's mom's arms and she beamed at the baby. She was just fed (and changed) and now she was settling back down to sleep. It was still amazing that I was a mommy again, this time to a little girl. What was more amazing was seeing how the boys reacted to Hannah. They gushed over her like Tim did and I knew immediately that they would be fierce protectors.

"She's gorgeous, you guys," Lucille smiled and Tim smiled at her.

"She looks just like her mommy," Tim smiled and kissed me.

I laughed softly. "How do you feel about having another granddaughter?"

Lucille smiled at Hannah's blue eyes. "I love it. I have another granddaughter to spoil with dolls, dresses and stuffed animals."

I chuckled softly. "When she's older, you, Nancy, her twins, Hannah and I can go to the spa for a girl's day."

Lucille nodded and handed Hannah to my dad.

Dad's arms wrapped around Hannah and she looked at him curiously, wondering what to think of him. With a smile, I saw a side of my dad that only came around when my sisters or I were around.

"You're a pretty one, aren't you?" Dad smiled at her and she kicked her feet.

She obviously hated being swaddled.

"She reminds me of you, Jill," Mom smiled as Hannah yawned and her tiny feet started to slow down in moving.

Marty smiled and looked at her. "Now do you know how I felt when the twins were born, Tim?"

Tim nodded with a smile at him. "I love this feeling. We need to have the girls get together when they're older."

"Gracie and Claire have a playmate their age and gender. That makes me super happy," Nancy smiled. "And one who looks like their mommy!"

I yawned and started to fall asleep again.

….

I kissed Hannah's head and she kept sleeping, her chest going up and down. In my arms, I had her cradled close to my chest, with my arms around her. I was careful to keep her from rolling off, but the bed rails were up.

My heart was gushing with love for my newborn daughter who was now cradled on my chest. Nothing in this world compared to having a new baby cuddled on your chest and especially if it's a girl. It actually brought tears to my eyes and I just adored my tiny baby girl.

"You know, baby doll, Daddy loves you, very, very much," I kissed her head. "You mean more to Daddy than just about anyone. You're beautiful, baby girl, just like your mommy. You can do everything you set your mind to. Just like your mommy. Just know that you'll always be my little girl. My princess."

Jill kissed my head and smiled. "She's lucky to have a daddy that loves her like you do, Tim. Do you see what I mean about how girls are different than boys?"

I nodded. "She's got me wrapped around her at only two days old."

I sat and kissed her head.

"You have Tool Time the day we go home, right? Why don't you take her that day and you can start taking her from then on?"

I nodded with a smile and rocked Hannah in my arms. I imagined her growing up and my heart just melted. No one could take her place in my heart. I loved my itty bitty girl and I couldn't wait to go home with her.

"Daddy loves you," I kissed her head as she slept.

(A/N: I hope you liked it! I love having daddy/daughter moments since I think Tim would be gushy over having a baby girl!)


	2. Safe in Our Arms (June 2, 1994)

Tim's POV

I walked in the house, carrying Hannah who was sleeping like most newborns do. It'd be refreshing to have the house just to ourselves again. No visitors and no relatives for the time being (though I would miss Marty). The reason we agreed on having it just be us was because we wanted time with the baby. Along with that, Jill felt like there'd be too many people there.

Anyways, I smiled at her and showed her the room with the bookshelf and Jill's computer.

"This is where Mommy does her work. We call it Mommy's office," I cooed.

Jill smiled at me. "It's where Daddy can't disturb Mommy while she's working."

"You'll get to be in the area someday too. Mommy will probably make it a girls' only area," I teased.

Jill laughed and I walked down the stairs to the table where there were six chairs.

"Here's where we eat dinner. Soon enough, you get the horror I mean delight of having Mommy's cooking," I chuckled.

"Maybe I'll make my meatloaf tonight just for that remark," Jill teased.

I shuddered in horror. "No, don't even joke about that."

Jill laughed and I walked to the living room.

"Here's where Daddy watches sports and where you'll get to watch TV."

I took her into the kitchen and then I took her into the bathroom,

"Here's where your big brothers go potty and someday, you will too!"

I didn't show her the boys' rooms, but I walked into her room and sat down.

"And here's your room, princess. Do you like the walls? Like how your big brother painted them and made them look like you?"

….

I sat down in the rocking chair and started breastfeeding Hannah, covering her up. While I nursed her, I started humming and I rocked slowly in the rocking chair. It was amazing, the feeling of having a newborn baby. Though they brought nights of sleeplessness, I loved everything else. The way they just loved being rocked and the way they'd cling to you.

"Do you like your new house, honey? This is a house you'll be staying in for a very long time," I kissed her head and she was starting to act like she was through eating on that side.

I unlatched her and put her over my shoulder. Starting to burp her, I patted her back and waited for her to burp. It was another gross part of having a baby, but she couldn't help it! I had a burp cloth draped over my shoulder.

"Can you burp for Mommy?" I kept patting her.

She gave a large burp and I chuckled, kissing her head.

"Very good, I think you sound like Daddy," I laughed softly and kissed her head, letting her nurse on the other side. "Are you excited to be with Daddy on TV?"

I sat back and let her nurse as Tim walked in. After having three other kids, seeing the fourth being breastfed didn't bother him. It didn't the other three times either. He saw it as just feeding the baby. While I wouldn't display it to the whole world, I'd indeed do it in public if she needed it. I had a cover so no one would see.

"Is my little girl hungry?" Tim asked and had a blue collared shirt on with a dark blue tie and dark blue pants.

I laughed and patted her bottom as she started nursing. "Very hungry."

"I'm super excited to take her to Tool Time today," Tim smiled. "It's a great way to spend daddy-daughter time."

I nodded with a smile and looked up at him. "Keep her in the sling after you introduce her, please. I have the diaper bag all ready."

Tim smiled as I started burping Hannah again. "Do you like Mommy's milk, honey?"

I laughed softly and heard a burp. "That's a good girl. Don't make it hard on Daddy at Tool Time, now. That's for at home." I kissed her head. "I'm just kidding. Mommy loves you, honey."

Tim held his arms out and I put her in his arms. With a smile, he picked up the diaper bag and kissed me. He walked out the door with the diaper bag and Hannah in hand and I felt some tears in my eyes. While I knew she'd only be away for about thirty minutes, I felt sad. I hated being away from my new baby that was in my stomach for about nine months.

….

I walked in to the studio with Hannah in my arms. Right now, she was sleeping and I figured things would go smoothly today. I might have to handle a crying baby on stage, but I learned later on that I didn't. This was one of the times that she was asleep so she'd just be there on stage.

Al walked over and smiled at me. "Hey buddy!"

I smiled. "Hey, Al." I put on the sling and put Hannah in it. She was securely in it and couldn't slide out if I moved around.

"She's beautiful, Tim," Al smiled at the sleeping baby.

I smiled at him and nodded. "You bet she is. She looks just like Jill."

Heidi walked over. "Is that Hannah? Aww, she's so precious!"

I smiled again and nodded. "How long until we go on?"

"About ten minutes."

I looked down at my sleeping daughter and beamed, happy at the fact that Jill had actually allowed me to take Hannah with her on Tool Time. This made it easier on her for when she went back to work but also gave me bonding time. I got to have my daughter on stage and the audience would love it too.

"How's Jill?" Al asked as I put the diaper bag over my arm.

I smiled. "She's fine. She's sleeping, I expect."

Heidi smiled at Hannah yawning in her sleep. "We go on in five minutes."

I nodded and softly stroked Hannah's cheek. Like I expected, she turned her head with her mouth open and I laughed softly. Babies were fun to be around, aside from the sleepless factor.

"Here's Tim the Tool Man Taylor," Heidi clapped and I walked out with Hannah snuggled into my side.

"Hey, I am Tim the Daddy Man Taylor and this my assistant, Al "Be a Baby" Borland."

"You may notice that Tim has a carrier on him."

I gently slipped out Hannah and held her in my arms. She yawned and clung to my finger again.

"My wife and I had a baby a couple days ago. Meet Hannah Jillian Taylor. She's gonna be on the show with me every day from now on."

Hannah hiccupped in her sleep and I laughed softly. "Are you trying to say hi to the audience?"

The audience went aww and I put her back in the carrier. "We're doing a salute to babies and we're now working on baby toys. I recommend building blocks first. I brought some toys that my boys built."

I put them on the table and Al grinned. "Your boys seem to have better talent than you do."

I made a hissing sound at him and looked at the audience. "Building blocks are easy to do. We have some wooden ones here that I built last weekend. We're gonna start painting them. I recommend using the primary colors: yellow, red and blue to make it easy and fun."

"We recommend building them three ¼ inches to make it simple. Along with that, you need sandpaper, scissors, acrylic paint, paintbrush and what you're gonna put on the blocks," Al told.

I looked down and Hannah was sleeping happily, snuggled into my chest.

"First, you should sand it down with the sandpaper to prepare it for painting," I told and felt Hannah drool on me.

Al sanded it down and I walked to the audience. The walking seemed to keep soothing Hannah.

"Paint it with the color you chose. I choose red since that's a primary color," I told and looked at it.

"After it's dried, put on the letter or number that you desire on there," Al told.

"I did the letter "H" for Hannah," I told as Hannah clung to my finger.

"There you have a block for a baby," I smiled. "Thank you and good night."

I walked off and headed home.

….

Randy's POV

I sat with Hannah in her rocking chair and rocked like Mom did. The rocking was soothing her to sleep and she was cuddled close to my chest. Her chest moved up and down and I smiled at my sleeping sister. No one could take her place and no one was about to hurt her on my watch.

"You know, Sissy, this is a strange world, but Brad, Mark and I here to help with that and make it better. Learn from us and it'll be fun," I smiled. "We will never ever leave your side."

Brad walked in with a smile and I looked at him. "She's got you wrapped around her finger too, huh?"

I nodded. "Look, doesn't she look like Mom?"

Brad nodded with a big grin. "She sure does. I can't wait to get to babysit her."

I laughed. "Why? Because she's a chick magnet?"

"That and I get to be in charge of someone aside from Mark."

"Hey," Mark walked in and I laughed.

The three of us stared at Hannah who was fast asleep. Nobody in this world would be more loved than Hannah by us. No one could hurt our baby sister without us interfering and we'd put up a fight if someone did.

"Bubba loves you, Hannah," Brad kissed her head.

"So does Bubby," I looked down at her and gently put her in her crib.


	3. Growing up Fast (June 9, 1994)

I sat on the couch with Hannah, my arms wrapped around her gently, and she was cuddled in my arms. Nothing compared to cuddling a newborn baby. They never talked back or got angry with you. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Until about the age of four or five, they loved following you around and tried to please. I was trying to savor the moments of having my last newborn baby.

"You're a cute little baby, aren't you?" I cooed.

She flashed a smile at me and grabbed my finger.

"This little piggy went to the market," I tickled her big toe. This little piggy stayed home. This little piggy got roast beef. This little piggy got none. This little piggy went wee, wee, wee all the way home." I tickled her toes and she laughed. It made me smile with joy.

She laughed again and flexed her toes. Though it was a reflex, it got me wondering about something. Would I have a dancer eventually?

"Was your big brother funny today?" I played with her hand, causing her to wrap her hand around my finger.

I kissed her head and felt extremely lucky. I had a baby girl of my own! I had someone to pass knowledge onto. I could give tips about that dreaded time of the month and about how to talk to boys. There was just a bond of a mother-daughter that was special. My own with my mother was special. I wanted my little girl to know that my love was unconditional. Nothing could pull me away from my daughter especially if she's upset.

"I love you, honey. Mommy loves you very much! Do you know that? I love you more than my own life," I kissed her head. She was small for her age, but Randy was too.

I stuck my tongue out a little and she stuck hers out too, trying to imitate me which made me laugh.

"Your brothers love you an awful lot, honey. I've never seen them be that gentle to just about anybody. You've got three big brothers, a daddy and especially a mommy that loves you unconditionally. There's help everywhere you go!"

I nestled her close and looked at her tiny feet. They were covered with booties right now (they amazingly stayed on) to keep her feet warm. I glowed with pride at seeing my daughter. It wasn't just me. Tim and the boys acted just like me around her. She brought us so much joy.

She had drifted off to sleep, but I let her keep sleeping in my arms. There was no harm (in my eyes) in letting her sleep in my arms. She would when she was older anyways (all three boys had), so why not let her now? Tim and the boys let her sleep on them too. Randy was especially loving towards her. I could tell he formed a tight bond with her.

"Hi honey," Tim walked in and smiled at seeing Hannah asleep in my lap. "She looks so precious."

I smiled at him. "It's still hard to believe that we have a daughter."

"I know," Tim kissed her head. "The audience just loves seeing her on stage."

I smiled. "Will you take her up there even if she's crying and having a tantrum?"

Tim laughed. "Probably. I wouldn't have the heart to make her sit backstage."

I laughed softly. "Then you and I are on the same page. I think she's gonna be a dancer someday. Are you okay with that?"

Tim kissed my cheek and took her in his arms. "I'd love nothing more. It'd be fun to see pink skirts around the house."

"It's called a tutu, honey. And she'd be going to a dance studio. As well as competing every so often."

"How much money would that be exactly?" Tim raised his eyebrow, rocking Hannah in his arms.

I shook my head. "It's not for two years, honey. Don't worry about it. Competing isn't for three or four years. It's just something that dancers do."

"As long as she's happy, I'm happy," Tim smiled.

I chuckled at her grabbing his hand. "Let's put her in the crib and then head out.

"We want you boys to be responsible," Mom told, getting her purse and being careful not to wake up Hannah.

It was quite annoying that Mom was telling us that, but I understood her point. We had literally no knowledge of how to take care of a baby (she gave us a guide). It wouldn't be too hard since they were just going out to the grocery store. Soon, it'd be her feeding time and Mom had bottles made already. They just needed to be heated up and fed to her. We were watching Mark too, but he wasn't a problem. He frequently played in his room or at a friend's house.

"Stay off the phone while you're babysitting," Dad told. "You'll be in hot water if that's why Hannah's crying when we get home."

"I can't even talk to Ashley? This sucks," Brad pouted.

Dad laughed. "Would you rather I have you two be babysat until you graduate?"

Brad grumbled. "No, I'll stay off the stupid phone."

Mom nodded. "You know where the supplies are. She should be waking up fairly soon to cry to be fed. I want you _both_ to share responsibility. Brad, I want you to let Randy help with some things. You can both help with changing her diaper."

"Lock the doors after we leave and don't open it for strangers. Love you guys and be back soon with supper," Mom hugged us.

As soon as Dad shut the door, I heard crying from upstairs. Our skills would be put to the test by having to feed Hannah. It seemed easy with Aunt Nancy having let us feed Gracie and Claire (probably for that exact reason). Still, Mom and Dad made it look like a piece of cake.

"Would you rather warm up the bottle or feed Hannah?" Brad asked.

"I can feed her if you warm up the bottle," I suggested. "And you can change the diaper?"

Brad nodded. "Gross, but sure. I'll start running it under the water. Go get her and it should be ready by the time you get down here."

I walked up the stairs, the crying intensifying as I got up the stairs. While I usually didn't get emotional easily, this was breaking my heart. I hated hearing my sister crying and I was eager to get this done to make her better. I loved the idea of being in charge of her and getting to play with her while she was away.

"Hey, hey," I walked up to her crib and saw her sucking on her fingers. "Why are you crying? Bubby's gonna make your hunger go away."

The crying weakened when I picked her up, looking into her bright blue eyes. She got Dad's eyes like the rest of us did.

"Are you excited, Hannie? You get to have Bubba and Bubby all to yourself while Mommy and Daddy are away."

Hannah looked at me curiously and Brad laughed softly. "Hi Hannie! Sorry that we don't have Mom on hand to nurse you."

I looked at him. "You have the next best thing! Bubba gets to feed you the milk that Mommy made for you. Is it warmed up, but not too hot?"

Brad nodded. "I tested it. It's perfect."

I rolled my eyes and took the bottle. "Thank you. Can you grab me a burp cloth real quick before I feed her?"

"Already got one," Brad tossed it and I caught it, draping it over my shoulder.

I sat on the couch and put the bottle in Hannah's mouth. She started eating and I looked at her big blue eyes.

"Are Bubby and Bubba doing a good job so far?" I asked and put the bottle down after a third of it was gone and started burping her. "That was a good one! Did that make your tummy better?"

Brad looked at her. "Man, she spit up all over the cloth."

"That's okay, Brad. You know, babies do spit up."

Brad rolled his eyes and sat down, watching as I put the bottle back in her mouth. I held it so that she could get milk out of it and looked at her. She had the prettiest eyes and I was a proud brother.

"You must've been hungry! You know, this must be the only kind of Mom's food that tastes good," I laughed. "Unfortunately for you, you have 18 years of tasting her terrible food."

Brad laughed. "Don't worry. When we're older, we'll cook for you."

I put her over my shoulder to burp again and she gave a solid burp. This time, she had no spit up.

"You finished the entire bottle! That was such a big girl!" I played with her hands. "Who's Bubby's favorite sister?"

Her face creased up and she started to cry, something smelling from her bottom.

"Dude, we have to change her diaper," Brad made a face. "Gross."

I laughed. "I get to entertain while you change. Haha."

"Shut up. Let's go upstairs and change her."

We bounded up the stairs and Hannah was getting increasingly louder. The poor thing was sitting in her poop! That was and still is gross, but it just made me feel bad for babies that they couldn't change themselves. Still, since we were mature enough to babysit, that included changing diapers.

We walked into her bedroom and I set her on the changing table. Brad unsnapped Hannah's onesie and I pushed the onesie up so that it wouldn't get in her diaper. It smelled so bad! We were babysitters and that's what we had to do! Getting this over with, Brad opened the tabs of the diaper and it revealed quite a bit of poo.

"Hannah, do you see Bubby's tongue?" I stuck it out as Brad groaned, wiping it off her bottom with a wipe.

She laughed at my face and I moved my hands around, distracting her.

"This is disgusting," Brad cleaned her bottom and slid a new diaper underneath.

He closed the tabs and I smiled at Hannah. "All better! Does that make Hannah feel better?"

She giggled and I sat with her in the rocking chair.

"Mind if I stay with you till she falls asleep?" Brad asked. "I've got nothing to do."

I nodded with a shrug. "Sure, sit in the living chair."

I started rocking Hannah and I sang softly. Gently, I rocked her and sang softly, kissing her head and soothing her to sleep.

I set her in her crib and turned off the lights. "Now that she's sleeping, we can go watch TV and listen for Hannah."

"We did good, didn't we?" Brad grinned.

I laughed. "We sure did! We're the best babysitters in town."

….

I walked in and smiled at Mark playing on the couch. "Hey, buddy," I laughed. "Where's your brothers and sister?"

"Brad and Randy are with Hannah in her room," Mark smiled.

Jill and I walked up the stairs, happily surprised. The house was still in one piece and there was no crying coming from upstairs. The boys had obviously been able to get Hannah to sleep. It made me proud. My boys were finally able to help out by babysitting Hannah. This freed Jill and I to get date night and also other things without having to worry about a babysitter.

"I smell a dirty diaper," I looked at Jill.

Jill sniffed and nodded. "It's in the garbage pail."

I walked in with a smile. "Jill, look."

In her crib, Hannah was peacefully sleeping. What made my heart warm even more was the fact that Randy and Brad were in here too. Randy was slumped on the rocking chair, fast asleep while rocking himself. Brad was on the living chair with the ottoman on his feet.

"Oh, they look adorable," Jill smiled. "Let's leave them be."

I nodded with a smile. "Our boys have opened up a whole new world for us."

Welcome to the world of babysitting…


	4. Sleeping and Cooking (June 16, 1994)

I walked into the living room, beaming at what I saw. On the couch, Randy was fast asleep, with Hannah sleeping on his chest. As if instinctively, his arms were around her protectively, making sure that she couldn't roll off. Hannah's head was nuzzled into his side, happily sleeping. Hannah was softly snoring while Randy had a big smile on his face.

Ever since she had been born about a couple weeks ago, Randy formed a special bond with Hannah. Maybe it was because they both were small in size, but I knew he loved the idea of someone to protect. I didn't know, but it didn't matter since he was always eager to help. I knew he would be a good babysitter. She had a built-in best friend who would always be willing to play with her.

"Hey, honey," Jill walked in with a laundry basket.

I walked over. "Shh. Come here."

Jill looked curiously and walked over, smiling at what she saw. Randy and Hannah were happily sleeping.

"Aww, they're so cute," Jill smiled down at them. "Randy really loves being a big brother, doesn't he?"

I smiled with a nod. "Hannah's got a built-in best friend."

Jill smiled down at them. "She's really lucky. She's got three built-in best friends."

I watched Randy's chest rise up and down with Hannah curling up on his chest. It warmed my heart seeing big brother helping baby sister out. When she was older, I foresaw Brad, Randy and Mark running to help whenever she called. Though they acted tough, they were actually mushy for her.

"How about we leave them be and start supper?" I smiled and walked with Jill towards the kitchen.

Jill laughed with a smile. "Okay, honey."

I smiled softly. "He sure loves his baby sister."

Jill laughed. "Yeah, he's showing the most interest out of the three boys. Hand me the steak sauce, please, honey."

I handed it to her and she smiled at me. "When are Joe, Marie, Al and Ilene coming for supper?"

Jill laughed softly. "Soon, honey. The boys will eat up in their rooms so that we can have some adult time."

With a yawn, Randy yawned and woke up, carefully putting Hannah in her swing so that she could sleep.

"Can you and your brothers stay upstairs while Al, Ilene, Marie and Joe are here? This is the one time I'll allow you to eat food in there."

Randy nodded. "Will do, Mom!"

He ran upstairs and Hannah started to cry hungrily. When Jill was usually here, she breastfed her but we always had expressed milk in bottles on hand. Running over, Jill ran over and sat down with her as I resumed supper.

"Does that make your tummy feel better, sweetie?" Jill nursed Hannah.

I chuckled at seeing the two close together. When Hannah was older, she wouldn't want to be around Jill so much. Well, more than the boys do since she and Jill share a lot of the same interests.

"That was a good one, honey," Jill burped Hannah and I chuckled.

Spit up was all over the cloth, but luckily, not on any of Jill's clothes. Though Jill knows that babies can't help that, she still doesn't like having it happen. She won't freak out, but she most likely will change clothes. Soon, she'd be going back to work so I'd be in charge of taking her the whole day (until the boys got off school). Then they'd be in charge of taking care of her until one of us got home.

"Are you excited to see your friends?" I asked with a smile.

Jill chuckled and kissed her head. "Hopefully you'll be civilized unlike Daddy."

I mock-laughed. "Ha, ha, I'll be civilized."

Jill laughed softly and started rocking Hannah. "She's growing so fast."

I laughed. "I'd be worried if she wasn't, honey."

Jill gave an exasperated look and looked down with a smile at her. I knew what she meant though and I felt the same way. Never again would I have a newborn girl and the thought of that made me sad. We had decided four was enough, especially since we were outgrowing it as it was.

"Can you get the door, honey?"

I opened it and smiled. Today was gonna be fun.

"Dad, can we play with Hannah?" Brad asked eagerly.

I nodded. "Go ahead."

((Sorry for the short update! I wanted to get it done before work! The next update will be longer!)


	5. The Playing Taylors (June 22, 1994)

I walked into the living room and smiled at what I saw. The boys were playing with Hannah and Tim was too. Tim and the boys just gushed over Hannah, like all dads and brothers did. They adored her and didn't mind seeming silly if it meant making her happy. It was the normal thing that fathers and big brothers of daughters and little sisters did.

"Ba-ba black sheep, have you any wool?" Randy played with Hannah's hands and made a silly face.

"Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full," Brad made a silly face at her.

"One for my master," Tim made a face and I laughed softly.

"And one for my dame," Randy made a face.

"One for the little boy who lived down the lane," Brad added with a smile.

"Ba-ba black sheep, have you any wool?" Tim made a silly face.

"Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full," Randy laughed playfully.

I walked over with a smile and chuckled at how happy Hannah seemed after they were playing with her. That little baby was the luckiest baby in the world. She had a father and three big brothers that would do anything to protect her. She also had a mother who would make her feel loved and that she was beautiful. When she started dating, the boy would be met with four protectors.

"Look, baby girl, there's Mommy," Tim stood up and kissed me.

I laughed and smiled at her. "How's Mommy's favorite baby girl?"

Tim laughed. "I think she's starting to feel sleepy and want a mother's touch."

Randy handed her to me and I started rocking her to sleep, humming softly. With a gentle hand, I wrapped a blanket around her and rocked her slowly. That was my favorite part of motherhood. I loved getting to rock them to sleep and the feel of a tiny baby in my arms that's asleep.

"You love your mommy, don't you?" Tim chuckled.

I rocked her slowly and looked at her cute little face. No one could take Hannah's place in my heart as my daughter. I never knew how much I would love having a daughter, someone that was my gender. I had someone who I could give advice to about boys and about what women go through. Well, I had my nieces, but I had someone who depended on me fully.

"Mommy's touch always works," I laughed.

Tim smiled. "She has those cute chubby cheeks."

I looked at her cheeks and smiled wide, I just loved seeing baby cheeks and how cute they were. Baby girls were new and different to Tim and me, but all babies acted the same so I wasn't concerned. Once she got older, that would be something that Tim and I would ask Nancy and Marty.

"Why does she sleep so much?" Mark asked as Hannah yawned.

"Babies sleep a lot, honey, especially at this age. Once she gets older, she'll get to be a lot more fun," I smiled.

Tim nodded with a smile. "She'll probably play games that you're not familiar with though, so just as a warning."

"Like what?" Brad asked.

"She'll probably play with dolls and stuffed animals and have tea parties," I told with a smile. "She'll probably play pretend a lot more than you guys did."

Tim nodded with a smile and Brad, Mark and Randy walked off, heading towards their bedrooms and I smiled. It was sad to me that I had one teenage son, one preteen and one tween. I had a baby of course, but the boys didn't find it fun to play with Tim or me anymore.

"If she is signed up for dance, does that mean she'll go off to some boarding school for nine months?" Tim asked.

I shook my head. "No, she'd go to a studio from usually three to eight o'clock on weekdays and every so often, we'd travel to compete."

Tim nodded. "I assume you'd go to her practices?"

"Most likely, yes, but I'm guessing Randy will come with too. You're always welcome to come see it whenever you want."

Tim laughed with a smile as I kissed her head and she smiled in her sleep. Nothing made a parent happier than seeing when their child was over-the-moon happy. Tim and I were no different with our kids. I loved seeing how happy Randy was to be in Peter Pan or Mark when he was doing karate.

"Can Daddy get a chance to hold his baby now?" Tim teased.

I laughed and put her in his arms. "She's a daddy's girl."

Tim kissed her head. "She sure is. She makes Daddy melt."

I laughed softly and Tim put her in the swing. "Let's go cook lunch."

…...

The boys and I walked in the bowling alley and I was eager to play with them. The birth of Hannah made Jill be preoccupied with her, so I wanted father-son time. It gave the boys some attention, but it also quieted the house down. Right now, I had a feeling that Jill was putting Hannah in her crib to sleep.

"How long do we get to bowl?" Brad asked. "I have a call to Ashley to return."

I made a face at him. "Brad, I'm trying to get us out of the house. You can call her when we get back."

Randy looked over at Brad with a smirk. "A dollar says that you and I can beat Mark and Dad."

Brad smirked. "Deal."

I walked over and stood at the shoe place. While I did, Brad and Randy were back to their old selves again. They were planning a prank to do to Mark and seemed like they were best friends again. Last year, they were at each other's throats, but something must have changed. I figured it was that they were gearing to be in the same school but I was happy.

"Ready to bowl?" I asked as I handed them each their pair of shoes and we walked over to the empty bowling lane and I put our names in.

The boys put their shoes on and I looked at the screen.

"Mark, you go first," I tied my shoes.

Mark grabbed a bowling ball and rolled the ball, with it ending up a gutter ball. Sports were not Mark's element, but that was okay. Neither Mark nor I were good at bowling so Brad and Randy would probably win. Our family tended to get more than a bit competitive.

"Try again, Mark," I told and handed him his ball.

He tried again and got the same result.

"Sorry, buddy," I smiled at him and rolled my ball.

I only got two pins, but that was still better than Mark.

"All right! I got a strike," Brad grinned. "We're ahead, Randy!"

We kept bowling and I was happy with how Brad and Randy were acting towards each other again. It was as if the last year and Brad's treatment of Randy had never happened, to my pleasure. They didn't always hang out (Randy was getting tired of Brad too), but they would on occasion. They always had each other's backs and had the relationship that Marty and I had.

"Dad, does the winner get a root beer float?" Mark asked. "Winners, I mean."

I grinned. "Yep. Winners get root beer floats and the losers have to change one of Hannah's diapers."

"Get ready to lose then, Dad," Brad smirked.

The boys had inherited Jill's and my competitive natures. They would always try to win over their brother, but winning wasn't everything to them. If they lost on occasion, it wasn't that big of a deal.

"A spare!" Randy grinned.

The boys (aside from Mark) were really good at that and I wasn't, so they liked to hold that over my head. Eventually, that went away, but right now, I was stuck with hearing the boys taunting me about it.

"I must be good at every sport," Brad smirked. "I just dominated bowling!"

"Dang right!" Randy high-fived him and grinned at Brad.

It was my turn and I rolled my ball. It looked like it would be a strike, but instead, I got only four pins, which seemed like a celebration to me. The game was soon about to be over, but that was okay.

"Brad, roll a strike!" Randy yelled and Brad rolled the ball.

I grinned and it rolled a strike. While I was unhappy that I lost, my heart warmed at seeing Brad and Randy finally getting along. After teaming up to babysit, they started becoming like they used to be. They'd hang out and used team work when babysitting Hannah.

"Ha, ha, you guys have to change Hannah's diapers," Randy smirked. "We get root beer floats!"

Mark pouted but I shrugged since I was neutral about it. To me, changing diapers was a natural part of life now, so I was used to it. That didn't stop it from being disgusting, but that was okay.

"Good game," Mark grinned at them.

I nodded. "Let's go home. Your mom and Hannah should be up by now."

Heading out, we headed towards the car and I chuckled at seeing Brad and Randy put their arms around each other. When together, those two were like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Randy was the brains and usually spoke for them while Brad did the doing and helped not get caught.

"Dad, will Hannah go bowling with us too?" Mark asked.

I nodded. "When she's a bit older. About three."

….

I walked in to Hannah's room and I saw Mom nursing Hannah. It grossed me out, but Brad and Randy didn't seem fazed by it. Neither did Dad. They all just went on to their daily business and didn't care. I just wasn't as used to babies as they were. I was only nine and for nine years, I had been the baby. I wasn't jealous about that anymore, in fact, I was happy about it. I'd get to get away with more things plus I could do what Brad and Randy did to me.

"Hey, honey," Mom looked up, but was stroking Hannah's head.

"Why is she eating like that? When Brad and Randy watch her, they usually give her a bottle," I asked.

Mom hesitated and then patted for me to sit by her in the rocking chair.

I sat down and saw Mom start to burp Hannah. "Honey, breasts function to give milk to babies just like cow udders do for calves. Have you ever seen a puppy or a kitten nurse?"

I nodded at her. "Yeah, they suck on the nipples like Hannah's doing now."

Mom had put Hannah on the other breast. "Human babies need the same thing. Some women bottle feed while others breast feed. Since your brothers can't breast feed, I pump the milk with a pump into a bottle. I keep them stored in the fridge for that sole reason."

I shuddered a bit. "How long will she need that?"

"About six months or so. Around that time, I'll start to wean her. That means she won't get as much milk anymore and she'll start eating solid food."

"Does that hurt you?"

Mom shook her head and unlatched her, starting to burp her. "No, honey, it won't hurt until she probably starts teething.

I nodded. "Sorry to bother you."

"Honey, you're not a bother." Mom told as she smiled at me. "Do you wanna hold your baby sister?"

I nodded eagerly and Mom put her in my arms.

"She's so little. Why does she have mittens on her hands? It's not cold out."

"Those keep her from scratching herself. Babies will do that without meaning to and this helps. In about a month, she won't have them anymore."

I laughed and she reached for my finger. Since Brad and Randy were usually taking care of her, I rarely got a chance to hold her. Now, they were with friends and I got Hannah all to myself. I also got Mom to myself which pleased me. It was not as much fun to play with her anymore, but I loved her. She made me laugh and was the best mother ever.

"Do you still love me even though you have a daughter now?" I asked.

Mom nodded. "Honey, of course I do. I couldn't replace my youngest son. I could never stop loving my sweet boy."

I laughed. "Then why does Hannah get so much attention?"

Mom looked at me. "Babies need lots of care and attention honey. Plus, I think your father and brothers are just excited. It's been awhile since we've had a baby."

"Will she like me?"

"She'll love you, honey. She'll look to all her big brothers and her mommy and daddy for protection. Will you protect her when she needs it?"

I nodded. "You bet!"

Mom smiled with a chuckle. "Good. I think your father's home. Go find him while I put your sister to bed."

I handed her back and ran down to get Dad.

It didn't matter to me that I wasn't the baby anymore. I had someone who looked at me for protection just like I did for Brad and Randy.


	6. Lean on Me (June 30, 1994)

I put on my lap, with her head only a few inches from my face and my arms on either side of her to keep her from falling off. Today, I was alone with her while Tim was at the hardware store and the boys were at various friends' houses. So, it was just Hannah and me. I loved getting to play with my only daughter by myself and I couldn't wait for her to have tea parties.

I playfully kissed Hannah's cheek and she laughed, the sound warming my heart and making me melt.

A baby's laugh was one of my all time favorite sounds. She just loved when Tim or I did that and she'd laugh and laugh.

I made a funny face. "Does Mommy look silly?"

Hannah laughed and cooed, her tiny voice making me melt.

"Where'd Mommy go? Where'd Mommy go? Peek-a-boo," I playfully kissed her cheek again and Hannah laughed, kicking her feet playfully.

I took out her toy rattle that the boys had built and shook it in front of her face. Eagerly, she reached for it and started shaking it as I laughed softly. In a few years, she wouldn't like being around Mommy as much anymore (about nine). So, I was trying to savor it during these years now.

"Is this Mommy's foot? Is this Mommy's foot?" I playfully shook it (not hard) and she stuck her foot in her mouth.

"Did you discover your toes?" I asked as Hannah stuck her toes in her mouth.

She cooed playfully and I laughed, gently giving her a kiss on her forehead. I held out a bright colored toy and let it sway back and forth.

"You caught it, honey! That's such a big girl!" I clapped and kissed her head.

She looked at me eagerly and reached to put the toy in her mouth.

"Yes, you can put the toy in your mouth, honey." I smiled.

She eagerly chewed on the toy and laughed as I kissed her head.

….

Mark walked upstairs and I sat on the couch, feeding Hannah with one hand and holding her with the other. I loved having time with my baby sister and I loved that cute little smile that she had when she was happy. No one could take Hannah's place in my heart.

"You're cute and you know it, don't you?" I cooed, seeing her grab my finger.

I kissed her head. "Don't worry about having to be alone. You have five protectors that will do anything to protect you. Especially me. I'm your number one supporter after Mommy and Daddy."

I put her over my shoulder and started to burp her. "Oh, that sounded like a good one, Hannah! Let's see! You got some on my shirt! That's okay, I can change into a new one, Sissy. Don't feel bad, Bubby's not mad."

I kissed her head and felt her wrap her hand around my finger.

Brad walked in. "Aww, did you spit up on Randy? That's what we all do."

I gave a sarcastic look and started feeding Hannah. It became a routine for Brad and me. Every time we'd babysit, we'd swap roles. Every other time, I'd feed her while Brad changed the diaper and vice versa. We loved getting to babysit since it made us feel responsible.

"Bubby loves you, Hannah. More than anyone. If you have a problem, come to me and I'll make it better," I kissed her head.

"Bubba loves you too, Hannah. You know, you're the prettiest little girl in the world and whoever can't see that is blind."

I rocked her and smiled at seeing her sleeping. Since I felt like I was about to cry, I gently put her in the crib and shut the lights off, closing the door. As I left, I felt my eyes fill with tears and I knew that Brad would yell at me for crying. Well, he'd tell me to man up, but I was feeling like crying today.

"Randy, you were great! Randy, are you okay? What's the matter?" Brad looked at me with great concern.

"Vinnie's back and he pushed me into the ground. What really hurt was that he teased me for doting over Hannah. He called me a sissy and," I started crying. "He said that Hannah was probably as ugly as we were. I got mad and defended her, but he just laughed and pushed me away."

Brad looked at me and hugged me for the first time in a while. His arms pulled me close and I buried my face in his shoulder, with him rubbing my back. Normally, he'd tell me to get over it and be man. I wasn't upset about that, of course. It was helping me feel better.

"I'm sorry, man. I know how much he torments you. You shouldn't feel bad about doting over Hannah. Even if it's not "cool", you shouldn't care. You're making her happy and you're a great big brother. Ignore them," Brad looked at me.

I looked up at him. "I'm not a freakish shrimp?"

"No, you're not. How about we play video games? And I never recommend this, but I think you should talk to Mom."

I nodded and we headed to play video games.

…

I walked in the door and smiled at Brad and Randy playing video games. The two musketeers were back and I couldn't have been happier about that. Though they often caused trouble, it warmed my heart that they were good friends again. Both couldn't live without the other and Brad was fiercely protective of Randy.

I noticed that Randy had a tear-streaked face and it broke my heart. Whenever my kids would cry, it broke my heart. No one had the right to hurt my children and if someone did, I'd go into Momma bear mode. I was able to stop that whenever my kids were around since it scared them. Around my kids, I tried to be as soft and gentle as possible.

"Randy, can you come here?" I put my purse down as Brad went up to change his baby sister's diaper and Tim stood by me.

Randy walked over, a bruise on his forehead. No blood was visible, but it was clear that Vinnie had done it which hurt me even more. That meant that Vinnie was back and would torture Randy even more, my poor boy.

"Mom," Randy hugged me and his tears soaked my shirt.

I hugged him. "Shh, you're okay, honey, Mom and Dad are here."

"What happened, son?" Tim looked at him with a comforting look.

Tim had never been the kind of dad to tell his sons, "Men aren't supposed to cry." He'd hug them and tell them that everything would be okay. We didn't coddle our kids so don't think that, but we gave them lots of assurance.

"Vinnie pushed me. He called me a freakish shrimp that has an ugly sister. I don't care that he teased me," Randy's eyes filled with tears. "He made fun of Hannah. I had to do something. I—"

I kissed his head. "Shh, honey, don't cry, You're not a freak or a shrimp at all. You love your sister and have a special bond. There's nothing to be ashamed of. That just means she has a special person to run to whenever your dad and I are gone. It means she has a best friend."

Randy looked up at me. "So you won't make me stop helping you guys take care of Hannah?"

I shook my head. "I'd never make you stop doing that, honey. I love you."

Tim nodded. "You're an amazing young man."

I hugged him close and kissed his head. I loved Randy. He had such a big heart.


	7. Sparks and Parks (July 4, 1994)

Today, we were heading to go to the airport to fly to Houston to see my family for the fourth of July. It was a family tradition, plus my sisters hadn't seen or met Hannah because they were so far away. We'd only stay a week, but to Tim and the boys (and to me), that was long enough. I loved my family dearly, but sometimes, they could take over and not know that Tim and I hated that.

I had mixed feelings about this flight since it would be Hannah's first. Lately, Hannah had been having colic and I knew that this could spell out disaster. I knew that most of the other passengers (especially other parents) would understand. Most would've had kids of their own or been around them. Flying with a baby was not as easy as most people thought it was. The worst part was that we had to keep Hannah strapped in her car seat. Tim wasn't allowed to give her a belly massage.

"Tim, are the bags in the car?" I asked as I held Hannah. She was reaching for her stuffed toy and I let her hug it close to her face.

Tim nodded. "All packed and ready to go. The only thing the car needs is us. Isn't that right, baby girl?" He made a funny face at her and she laughed.

I laughed softly and bounced her a little in my arms, waiting for the boys to get down here to get in the car. Lately, Brad and Randy have been starting to sleep in until noon (if they can get away with in). Most days, I didn't care since we weren't in a hurry to get anywhere. Today, we had a flight in about an hour and we had to hurry to make it on time.

"Hey Mom," Brad and Randy walked down, carrying their bags on their backs.

I smiled at them. "Hey, guys. Go get in the car so that we can go get in the airport."

The boys groaned but obeyed, heading to the car which was now unlocked. Since the Chevy Nomad was too small for us, we traded it in for a 66 Ford station wagon. It seated nine kids and the two seats upfront. It worked perfectly for hauling Brad to soccer practice and Mark to karate.

"Are you excited to go on a trip with Mommy and Daddy?" I made a silly face at Hannah as I strapped her in her car seat.

She cooed and I kissed her head, handing her a rattle and shutting her door. I got in the front seat and Tim started driving to the airport. Brad and Randy were asleep, which I half-expected. Mark was sleeping and so was Hannah. The kids were always soothed by a ride in the car. I had no idea why, but they were. Tim and I used this to our advantage. We'd take car rides to soothe the kids to sleep and it almost always worked.

"Kinda quiet, huh?" Tim smiled at me as he drove.

Randy had his hand on Hannah's car seat, his poor head leaned in it, sleeping happily and seeming protective.

I laughed. "You're saying that's a bad thing? With a baby, a tween, a preteen and a teenager?"

Tim shook his head. "No, I think it's great!"

I kissed him as he parked and that seemed to wake the kids (except for Hannah up. The flight there would keep them (and probably Tim) asleep. I'd be busy taking care of Hannah, but I didn't mind it. I was excited to get to Houston for my family to meet my new daughter.

"I want you guys to behave in there," Tim told. "We're civil, we're not baboons."

Randy was about to give a sarcastic remark but I silenced him with a look.

"We're not staying there a whole month are we?" Brad asked.

I shook my head. "No, we're only staying there for a week. Just enough time to go to the family reunion and for my sisters to meet the baby."

"Names?" The airport clerk looked at us. He was tall with jet black hair and brown eyes, having an Asian appearance.

"Tim Taylor, Jill Taylor, Brad Taylor, Randy Taylor, Mark Taylor and Hannah Taylor."

The guy smiled and printed off the tickets. "You know, I really like your show! I really love Al!"

Tim gave an annoyed expression but took the tickets with an expression of gratitude and we headed through the gate to board our plane. Carrying Hannah, I had her in my arms and rocked her, with her playing with a toy. Since I had been hogging her, Tim held her and seemed to be over the moon. That man seriously loved his baby girl like nothing else.

"Are you trying to copy Daddy's face?" Tim babbled at her and did that thing with his gums again, making Hannah squeal with joy.

"At least you have Hannah in the house to think you're funny," Brad teased playfully and made a funny face at her.

Tim kissed her head with a laugh as they called our names.

"Parents with small children may board first," The caller announced and we headed over to the departure gate.

Handing the lady our tickets, we handed them to her and started walking down the terminal and towards the plane.

We walked on board and found the seats where we were sitting. They were in the very back, closest to the bathroom. This was the section where most parents sat, so I wasn't concerned about getting looks about having a crying baby on board. Most parents had a nonverbal understanding and actually took up for you. It was the only universal thing that most parents knew.

The lady started talking about putting on the oxygen masks and I was trying to listen, but I had a crying Hannah making it hard to hear. I knew this stuff anyways, so I was more focused on strapping her in tightly. As soon as we were in the air, I'd take her out and breastfeed her, but not a second earlier.

"Jill, look. The boys are already passed out."

I laughed and started breastfeeding her once we were in the air. Since I was covered up, no one seemed to say anything. A mom that was walking her child to the bathroom commented on how cute Hannah was and I was happy.

"You're a hungry girl, aren't you?" I kissed her head. "Are you excited to meet your aunts, Hannie?"

The plane landed with crying from Hannah and we headed to the house.

…

"Shh," I put my finger to my lips, holding a sleeping Hannah and creeping in, sitting on the couch to wait for my mom and dad to come in. My sisters were there too for the reunion.

Tim kept his mouth shut and looked at Hannah who was kicking her feet in pleasure and started playing with her toes. While Tim played with Hannah, Brad and Randy were playing on their Super Nintendos. Normally, they'd play outside, but it was raining (oddly) right now.

The house looked exactly like I thought it would. The furniture was in the exact same place that I left it in about twenty years ago. Our TV was still in front of the TV, with a picture of Dad, Mom, my four sisters and me. It made me feel nostalgic and I loved that feeling. In the next room, we had a table set for twelve since there were twelve of us coming. They knew we were coming, but they didn't know that it would be today.

There were dozens of pictures of my sisters and me as well as the boys. While my parents weren't fond of Tim, they were happy if I was happy. Tim treated me like a queen (most of the time) and never used physical or verbal abuse. If he had, that was a line that he couldn't uncross.

"Jill? You're here now?" Mom hugged me and a cry came from Hannah as if to say, "Hey! Remember there's a baby in her arms!"

I hugged her and smiled, letting Tim take Hannah. "We wanted to surprise you and to let you and my sisters see Hannah. Where are they?"

"Carrie's on her way and Tracy, Robin and Linda are outside. Let me see my cute little granddaughter! Wow! She's gotten so big!"

Hannah had her thumb in her mouth and she stared at my mom. Her eyes matched Tim's and that just made me melt.

"You look just like your mommy," Mom smiled.

Hannah smiled a gummy smile, the best kind and Hannah started to cry fussily.

Mom smiled. "I can change her diaper for you."

She took the diaper bag and walked off, leaving me with Tim and the boys. Tim was reading his Sears catalog, looking for tools while the boys had sports books. I knew that my mom would never hurt her, but I was having away from baby blues. I didn't like not knowing what room any of my children were in.

"That was quite the messy diaper," Mom smiled. "You did that too."

The boys and Tim laughed but went back to reading. I was red with embarrassment and I knew Mom was only trying to make us laugh. Right now, I wasn't finding too many things funny since I was hormonal.

I walked out onto the porch and smiled. "Notice anything different?"

I had Hannah in my arms, with her hand grasping onto one of my fingers. Turning around, my sisters turned around with a smile. All four of my sisters loved babies, but I was the only one out of the five of us to have kids. They met Marty and Nancy's twin babies, but that was different than being an aunt.

"Jill, she's adorable!" Tracy looked at her as Hannah cooed.

"She looks just like you!" Linda smiled. "It's so exciting to finally have a niece in the family."

"She's so tiny," Robin smiled.

"Thank you," I smiled and rocked Hannah who was peacefully sleeping.

Robin smiled. "Is she different then the boys?"

I nodded and rocked her. "A lot different. Aside from the colic which was like Randy's, but she's quieter aside from that. She has a stuffed lion that she can't live without for a moment." I revealed the toy that Randy and Brad got her. I also revealed a black and white cat that was by her.

My sisters awed at it and how Hannah had it clutched close to her. The toy meant a lot to her, especially, (I'm guessing) because Brad and Randy gave it to her. The black and white cat was one Tim and I had given her.

"Awe! She seems to really adore those toys!" Tracy tickled her chin and I smiled, Hannah's tiny hands grabbing onto my fingers.

Linda looked at me with a smile. "You look good for having a baby!"

I hugged her. "Thank you. Let's go."

….

The family barbeque was today and Mom let me babysit Hannah. Since Hannah and I had such a special bond, Mom figured I'd want to help a lot. Like usual, she was right (for the umpteenth time!). My heart melted just at the sight of my baby sister and Mom was glad to have the help.

Sometimes, Mom's sisters would get a little irritated at me for doing that, but Mom just wanted Hannah to be cared for. Plus, it gave her a little free time and I was more than happy to babysit my baby sister. She had me wrapped around her finger as tight as a Band-Aid (gross metaphor, I know).

Hannah started to wail as I started rocking her and adjusted her so that I was holding her using the colic carry.

"Don't cry, Sissy, Bubby's gonna make it all better," I started massaging her back and she let out a big burp.

I laughed softly and kissed her head. "Did Bubby make it all better?"

Hannah cooed and I held her again, kissing her head.

I loved being a big brother.


	8. Bringing on Comfort (July 11, 1994)

I started walking around the house, trying to calm a crying baby. Since Jill was in need of some much desired sleep, I decided to calm Hannah for her. She was in her "Supermom' mode and she would refuse sleep if it meant the kids were happy. She always did that, but it was intensified when she was in that mode.

I put her on my arm and carried her like a football, with Hannah crying and my heart breaking from not being able to solve the problem.

"Will you tell the baby to shut up?" Mark asked as I looked at him with an exasperated look.

"Marcus, that's not how we talk to the baby. Hannah's trying to express her needs by crying since she can't talk like you or I can yet."

"She's crying at the same time everyday for two hours!"

"That's what colic is. Their bellies hurt and they need a loving touch."

Mark groaned. "Dad, can't you just stick a binky in her mouth?"

We tried giving her a binky often, but she would spit it out and refuse to open her mouth once we tried again. So, we usually tried other methods of comfort since we weren't about to make her do something she didn't want to do.

I massaged her back and looked at Mark. "No, Mark. You know she hates those."

Randy walked over and stood in front of her while I massaged her back. She seemed to start to calm down finally, after I had put on the stuff Wilson gave us. It was some jelly or whatever that soothed babies' colic. After Randy had it, we gave it to Mark and now Hannah.

Anger burned in Randy's eyes and I knew he was about to get onto Mark for being mean about Hannah's colic. If there was one thing I didn't recommend doing in front of Randy, it was talking bad or even looking the wrong way at Hannah. He'd stop that in a heartbeat and Brad would too. Randy had a fierce bond with her and that just made my day.

"You can quit getting upset with Hannah! She's just a baby! She can't help that she's got colic so you shouldn't be angry about her crying! It's _colic_. Their bellies hurt and they can't control that! If you don't like it, wear ear plugs!"

My eyes widened, but I wasn't that surprised honestly with how Randy reacted. I mean, she's got him wrapped around her tiny little finger like nobody else. Aside from Jill and me that is. I knew that when Randy went off to college in a few years, Hannah would have an especially hard time with it.

Mark walked off and Hannah laid on my arm, her arms and legs dangling. She had a quiet look and snuggled into my arm.

"Did you hear Bubby protect you?" I carried Hannah like normal and her lip quivered, a sign that she was about to cry.

I cuddled her close, rubbing her back and she looked a little scared. Babies were normally scared of yelling, but I knew Randy hadn't meant to scare her.

"Aww, are you scared, princess? Bubby didn't mean to scare you," I kissed her head and held her to where Randy could see her.

"Sorry, Sissy! I know I sounded mean when I yelled at Mark. Bubby loves you very much."

Hannah cooed as if to say, "I forgive and love you too" and was happy as pie. That baby was one of the happiest babies under the sun.

"Dad, am I in trouble for saying that to Mark?" Randy asked.

Poor Randy often got in trouble for Brad or Mark's mistakes. It was the problem of being a middle child as Jill told. I was one of the younger ones, but still a middle.

"No, Randy. I would've said something if you were. You were just defending Hannah and explaining what colic is," I smiled. "Your mom won't be mad either."

Randy perked up. "She won't?"

Jill shook her head and walked over with a chuckle. "No, she won't. I know that you have a good reason if you're defending your sister like that."

Hannah seemed to smell her mother and was starting to whimper, looking straight at Jill with the look that said, "Give me some love, Mommy".

Jill laughed softly and picked her up, with Hannah giving a coo of delight and giving a smile at being with her mother. Though Hannah was a daddy's girl, she still was a mommy's girl too. Those two have the ability to melt by just looking at me or telling me they love me.

"Did you miss Mommy?" Jill laughed softly and kissed her head. "Aww, are you wanting a diaper change?"

I could smell her diaper from here and it smelled horrendous.

"I'll go change it," Jill smiled and walked off.

I looked at Randy who was looking down at the floor and I could tell something was wrong with my father radar. It was something with Vinnie and that instantly broke my heart.

"Randy, are you okay?" I asked, looking at him gently.

"Dad, am I a bad brother?" Randy had tears in his eyes.

 _If only he wouldn't be so hard on himself, he'd see that he's an amazing one_ , I thought to myself.

I shook my head and hugged him. "Randy, you're one of the best big brothers Hannah has. Don't tell your brothers, but you may be the best."

"Why? I scared her," Randy looked at me. He truly felt horrible.

I shook my head. " _By accident_ , Randy. Hannah knew you meant no harm when you smiled at her. Babies forgive fast especially one who has such a good big brother."

"You won't make me stop taking care of her?"

I shook my head. "No, I'd never do that. She needs her big brothers."

…

"Hey Wilson! Come in!" I opened the door. "Thanks for coming to babysit! Tim and I really appreciate it," I smiled. "The boys are out at friends' houses."

Wilson smiled, walking in and I picked up Hannah from her swing, putting her on the play mat. "Not a problem, neighborette. I can't wait to play with her."

I smiled and saw that Hannah was batting at one of her toys, trying to reach for something that was dangling down. With a chuckle, I watched quietly as she made a determined face toward the toys. She was saying, "I'm gonna get you, toys!". It just was so cute!

"There's bottles in the fridge with the milk already in there. She's got a changing table in her bedroom. She should fall asleep in about an hour. She should stay asleep for about two hours. We should be back around six."

I bent down and kissed Hannah's head, with my purse slung over my shoulder. "Bye, honey, Mommy and Daddy will be back soon.'

I walked out and headed to the store.

…

I looked at the youngest Taylor neighbor who was happily playing on her playmat. She was batting at the toys and seemed really engaged. She looked a lot like Jill but she had Tim's eyes like her brothers. She was a little small for her age, but it wasn't too unhealthy. I knew they took good care of her.

I was honestly a bit nervous to take care of Hannah. It had been nine years since I took care of a baby and that was Mark. While I knew it'd be easy (Jill left a list of instructions), it was still a little shaking. It was fun to have a baby neighbor that I could come over and see anytime.

"Well hi, Hannah," I looked at her and gently picked her up.

She looked at me with the same curious look that I had seen in her mother, Jill.

"You probably don't know who I am. I'm Wilson. I'm a friend of your mommy and daddy.

She yawned and was starting to fall asleep in my arms. It was hard to believe that Tim and Jill had a daughter finally, after having three boys. While I loved the boys as my own, I was ecstatic that I could get experience with a girl. She'd come over to the fence and ask for advice about boys or anything like her brothers. It was just an exciting aspect to me having only been around boys.

"You know, you remind me of your mommy," I looked at her.

She kicked her feet happily and yawned, starting to fall asleep in my arms again.

She fell asleep and I put her in her playpen. I sat on the couch, starting to read a book and kept my ears open for Hannah. Like Jill had said, she had gone to sleep about an hour after she left.

I looked down at her and she was happily sleeping. It still seemed odd to me to put a baby to sleep on their back, but science was always changing. Tim and Jill were just following the recommendations. Plus, they read on how it stopped the risk of SIDS so I was happy for them.

"I'm coming," I got up after hearing Hannah cry hungrily.

Finding a bottle, I grabbed one from the fridge and ran it under lukewarm water to warm up the bottle. Once it was warmed up, I walked over and picked up Hannah who seemed to sense the bottle and was sucking on her fingers. Babies were much smarter than we gave them credit for.

"Aww, are you hungry?" I started feeding her and she ate happily.

I smiled at her and fed her, with her sucking on the bottle hungrily. It seemed easy to take care of her, especially since it wasn't "time" for colic just yet. I felt bad that Tim and Jill had to deal with that, but in two months, it'd be gone.

I started burping her and she burped, spitting up on the burp cloth, seeming happy that the gas was about gone.

I put the bottle in the sink where a couple other bottles were and started hearing a car pull into the driveway.

"I think I hear your mommy and daddy," I walked to the door.

Hannah cooed in agreement and her eyes were wide, waiting for Tim and Jill.

Tim walked in with Jill and smiled wide. "Hey, Wilson. Hi, baby girl! Were you a good girl for Wilson?"

I nodded with a laugh. "She's quite the talker as babies talk."

Tim took her gently and smiled. "Daddy missed you. Yes, he did." He kissed her head and Jill smiled at me.

"Thanks for doing this Wilson," Jill hugged me.

"Not a problem, neighborette. Bye."

….

With a smile, I opened the door and Beth walked in, smiling at me and getting ready to hang out with me. We both had a crush on each other, but hadn't gotten to boyfriend or girlfriend status yet. So, we were technically just friends. That meant I could be alone with her downstairs.

"Honey, can you babysit Hannah for me while I go upstairs to talk to your aunt?" Mom asked as she walked down the stairs with Hannah in her arms.

I nodded and took Hannah for her. "Hi, Hannah. Bubby loves you."

I kissed her head and Beth grinned, looking at the baby. Like Dad and Brad said, girls went nuts over babies. Nobody knows why, well, boys don't, but it meant that I could charm Beth so I was happy.

"Aww, she's so cute!" Beth smiled at her.

Hannah cooed with a charming smile and had the same smile that Mom did/

"Are you hungry, Hannah? Are you hungry? Hey Beth, could you grab a bottle and warm it under lukewarm water?"

Beth ran the bottle under the water and looked at me. "Do you babysit often?"

I nodded. "Whenever they leave and I'm available. Brad helps me."

Putting the bottle in her mouth, I started feeding her and she happily ate, looking at me curiously. I put her over my shoulder and started burping her, hearing a loud burp and was pleased with the results.

"That was a really good burp!" I kissed her head.

She started to fuss from colic and I put her on my arm with the colic hold. I started massaging her back and her arms started to dangle.

"Does Sissy feel better?" I cooed and kissed her head.

She cooed and Beth smiled at me. I was the happiest boy alive right now!


	9. Building for Baby (July 18, 1994)

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as I adjusted Hannah in the sling, with her pouting at me.

"Tool Time!" Al and I walked out with Hannah snuggled into my chest. She looked up at me with a pout.

"What? Are you wanting to be alone with Daddy?" I teased playfully.

Al chuckled at me, looking at Hannah. "She's growing every day!"

"No, duh, Al, that's what kids do," I teased.

"Here's the star of the show, Tim the Tool Man Taylor!" Heidi clapped as I walked out, with Hannah starting to yawn.

I took off my coat and gently took Hannah out of the sling. With a laugh, I made a silly face at Hannah and she laughed, making my heart melt. She kicked her feet and made me laugh with a smile.

"Are you making the audience smile?" I bounced her and cooed at her.

With a laugh, Hannah kicked her feet.

"Tim, how old is she?" Al asked as I held her and kissed her head.

I smiled. "She's about seven weeks. Daddy's favorite girl."

Hannah laughed and sneezed, making it one of the cutest little sneezes I had ever heard from a baby.

I put Hannah back in the sling and she went back to sleep for one of her naps. With her back and asleep, I had my hands free to work on the project with Al. When she got older, I imagined I'd put her on the chair or have her sit in one of her own to watch Daddy work on the show. It'd be so cute! When she was eight or so, Jill said she could help me work on the show!

"Back to our project. Today, we're showing you how to start building a playground for your very own backyard," I smiled.

"The first thing you want to do is look at the blueprints," Al smiled.

He laid them out and I smiled at what I saw, with Hannah clutching onto my shirt. There were two swings, a swing for two, two handles and a slide with a ladder. I knew it wouldn't be used for quite a while since she wasn't big enough to play. It'd be about two or three years for that to happen. There was also a baby swing which would come in handy in a few months.

"Now, we have all the materials cut for what you'll need to do for the playground," I told, indicating the wood behind me.

"We're first going to build the fort," Al told as I looked at him.

"Aren't you a little old for a fort?" I teased as Al ignored me.

"You need to take the 4x4 posts, two 2x4 tarp boards, and two 2x6 sandbox boards and fasten them together with assemblies," I did that (after putting Hannah in her stroller so that she wouldn't get hurt.

"Use the bolt holes to mark the spots of the holes," I told and then drilled the holes, along with bolting them.

"Erect the canopy posts and bore bolt holes through the support and the post. Use a four-foot level to check that they're plumb and then tighten the nuts and bolts."

I did that and none of it seemed to bother Hannah who was now playing with one of her toys in her bouncer seat. While we were working, I noticed that Brad had come and taken Hannah inside (probably told to by Jill). After we would be done with the project, Jill and I would probably be cooking supper.

"Fasten the deck boards to the deck supporters and install the deck springer," I told as I did that. "Install the panel boards and wall panels."

As I worked, I thought about how much fun Hannah would have on this. When she was older, she'd have five playmates to play with. When Marty and Nancy came with their twins, she'd have kids to play with that were her exact same age. Well, aside from being five months older.

"The next step is to install the ladder," Al told as I started building the ladder with Al's help and I didn't notice Mark watching from the window.

"Fasten the swing hangers to the swing beam. Join together the swing beam legs, using the leg bracket," I kept building, with Jill watching out the window, holding Hannah in her arms.

"The next step is to mount the swing beam support. Stand the swing beams upright and with a partner, position the beam. Fasten the swing beam to the brackets."

We were on the very last step aside from painting which would come in a couple weeks to do.

"Install the swing-beam cross support on the legs, the safety board adjacent to the sandbox, the front panel above the slide and the remaining board for the sandbox."

I smiled and got up. "And that's how you build a playground for your kids. Find out tomorrow how to paint and how to attach the equipment."

….

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as Brad and I geared to get ready to be on the show.

It was Brad's first time being on the show since I hadn't wanted to seem like I had favorites, but Brad wanted to help with this part. Randy wasn't really interested in tools, so he volunteered to babysit Hannah while we were doing the show. He had a love for his sister that was like no other.

"Tool Time!" Brad and I walked out.

Brad carried red and yellow buckets of paint and I carried the blue bucket of paint. With a smile, Brad waved and then looked at the playground that Al and I had built last night while he was at soccer practice. It was exciting to get to do this with my son since Al was out of town for the week.

"Today, we're gonna show you how to paint this playground that's for the best little sister ever!" Brad grinned.

I laughed with a smile. "This is my oldest son, Brad. Al's out of town so Brad will be here today and Mark tomorrow."

"What you need is the playground, sandpaper, primer, latex paint, roller frame and rollers, paintbrushes and foam paintbrushes," Brad added.

"The first thing you wanna do is sand the furniture," I told and started sanding it with Brad waiting. "I recommend the 229 grit."

"The next thing you wanna do is apply the primer. When you do, wait an hour before you do anything after," Brad told.

As he was applying the primer with me, my chest was swelling with pride. My boy was actually on my show with me, working with his hands. I wanted him to have a love of tools and cars just like me. Nothing described the feeling of being on my show with the boy who I raised for 13 years.

…

"Since the primer has dried, we'll start painting. We recommended using red, yellow and blue since kids love primary colors," I added.

"We're painting the fort blue, the top beams red and the other parts yellow," Brad grinned at me. "But you can do it however you want."

We started painting it and it seemed a lot more real that Hannah would be playing on the playground in a few years. I'd be chasing after her and playing games once her brothers were moved out of the house. It'd just be Jill, Hannah and me in about nine years when Hannah was nine. Mark would be 18, Randy would be 21 and Brad would be 22.

"And there you have your painted playground! I really hope my sister will like it," Brad smiled at me.

I laughed softly. "She will."

Like Randy, Brad too had a special love for his baby sister. He loved getting to have a little girl to protect but also to play with. Baby girls gave affection that boys did not and it was just precious.

"Thanks for being here!" Brad waved.

"Tomorrow, we'll assemble the playground," I told with a smile.

…

I walked out with Tim and gasped at the playground. It was painted red, blue and yellow with playground equipment. There was a red slide, yellow swings and a blue teeter totter. It just looked so cute!

"Oh, Tim, we love it," I smiled. "Hannah, do you like your new playground?"

She cooed in agreement and touched it. Tim chuckled softly. "Good, I'm glad."


	10. Love All Around (July 25, 1994)

Today, I was going shopping with Marie and Ilene. For the first time, I was taking Hannah with me (it wasn't exactly the first but whatever). So, it'd be fun to have a baby with me when we went. Since it was a Saturday, Tim went to the hardware store while the boys had gone to friends' houses. I promised Randy that tomorrow he could go with me and help with Hannah. He had no interest in going for a girls' trip, so I promised tomorrow that it was just him, Hannah and me.

"Hey, Jill. Aww that baby looks so cute," Marie smiled.

Hannah cooed happily and grunted, as if to say, "Thank you!"

Ilene smiled as I carried Hannah outside. "She looks just like you Jill! Only, she has Tim's eyes."

I beamed and kissed her head, strapping her in. "She's a daddy's girl and a mommy's girl. She's also quite attached to Randy."

I shut the door and got in, with Ilene getting in the back and Marie getting up front. With a smile, Ilene started talking to Hannah who babbled happily. That baby was one of the happiest babies I knew. When not having colic, she was over the moon and made me laugh.

"Where to first? The mall?" Marie asked as I started driving.

Hannah started batting at the toy on her car seat.

I nodded. "That's easiest. Do you have a preference to which store to go to first?"

Marie shook her head. "I was thinking maybe that baby stuff store."

Ilene nodded. "I saw some really cute toys."

I drove to the store and sighed softly. In about a month, my maternity leave would end and I would have to enlist Wilson's help to babysit. I'd ask the boys, but at that time, they'd be back in school again. Or, Tim could help babysit by taking her to work with him since Heidi or someone would gladly babysit her.

"So, are you and Tim excited that the boys can babysit?" Marie asked.

I nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes, we're super excited. Randy's so hands on with her, especially. He volunteers to help whenever we ask and being around her just makes him mushy inside. It's a side of Randy we've never seen. We love how big and mushy his heart is."

Marie smiled. "That's cute. That makes me wish we had kids but Joe never wanted any, so we didn't get to have any."

"That's a shame, you would've been a good mom," Ilene smiled.

"You're welcome to babysit Hannah anytime you want. I'm having Wilson babysit her but when he's busy, you're welcome to. You and Ilene both are godmothers."

"So does that mean Al is a godfather?" Ilene asked with a grin.

I nodded. "Yeah. Tim won't admit it, but Al is his best friend. Don't be offended, Marie, but Tim wasn't comfortable making Joe the godfather. He doesn't know how Joe would react having to take care of a baby."

"Oh, that doesn't offend me. I know how Tim reacted when Joe almost dropped her, not wanting to hold her."

I parked in the parking lot and turned the car off. Grabbing my purse, I got out and shut the door, heading to Hannah's door. I opened the door and unbuckled her, with Marie bringing the stroller over. Gently, I placed her in the stroller and started pushing it towards Itsy Bitsy Baby, the baby store that was in the mall.

"I feel bad about going to work," I said as I walked in, looking at the baby clothes with one hand one the stroller.

"Jill, you shouldn't feel bad," Ilene smiled. "You're showing Hannah that girls can do more than just be a housewife and mother."

I looked at her sadly. "I'll miss a lot of her great memories because of it."

"You can always have Wilson record them. Besides, you have the weekends and when Tim goes to the hardware stores," Marie added, holding up a onesie.

I nodded approval at it and sighed. "You're right. Plus, it means I get to have more of a life then I did with the boys."

Ilene laughed and held up a dress. "Speaking of that, do you and Marie wanna have a movie night with me on Friday?"

I nodded approval. "I'd love that! It'd get Tim to spend time with Al and Joe, plus it'd give Randy a chance to babysit Hannah again. He'd be over the moon excited."

"I never understood. Why do boys act like that around their sister? I'm not upset, I just wondered," Marie looked at me.

I shrugged. "I think it's because he has someone he can protect, but I don't really know, I just love it. He's a totally different person around her. It's really cute!"

I started loading the stuff onto the checking out cart. "He actually asked to go shopping with Hannah and me so that he could help with Hannah."

"Hannah's lucky to have him as a big brother!" Ilene smiled.

I grinned eagerly. "That she is, Ilene. That, she is."

…

I ran down the steps happily and grinned at seeing Hannah sitting in her bouncer seat, grinning wide at me. Patting her legs, she squealed happily and reached toward me, as if to say, "Bubby, please get me out of this seat!". Happily, I picked her up and cuddled her close to me, my arms gently holding her. I rubbed her back and rocked slowly, checking the diaper bag.

"Hi, Mom," I grinned at her.

Mom smiled at me and rubbed Hannah's back. "Is Bubby making you happy?"

She cooed and charmed me with those big blue eyes.

"Can I sit in back instead and play with Hannah?" I asked eagerly.

Mom hugged me and nodded with a big smile. "I don't see why not, honey. I think that'll make her happy."

Eagerly, I walked to the car and opened the door, putting her in her car seat. I strapped her in and kissed her head, shutting the door. Running over, I got in on the other side and sat by Hannah, buckling up. I kissed her head and played peek-a-boo with her which made her laugh.

"Where's Bubby? Where's Bubby? Peek-a-boo, I see you!" I reappeared and she laughed, starting to bat at her toy.

Mom was humming softly and Hannah was starting to bat at the toy.

"Get it, Hannah! Get that toy!" I playfully encouraged.

She hit the toy and it swung back and forth, like a pendulum and made her laugh even harder at that idea.

"Is Bubby making you laugh?" Mom smiled.

I let her see my hand and she laughed, playing with my fingers. Mom parked in the parking lot and got out, going to get Hannah out of the car. I got out the stroller for her and pushed it over, waiting for Mom to put Hannah in it. She put her in and I started pushing, making a silly face.

"Hey Mom, when we start school and you start work, where will Hannah go?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Wilson will watch her until your dad's ready for her and then he'll take her to Tool Time," Mom told as we went into the bookstore.

I grabbed a book and we headed to the front desk. "Do we have to watch her at all after school? Can we?"

Mom nodded. "I imagine you will and you're always welcome to."

Mom paid for the book and we headed to another store. "Are you excited to start school in the same place as Brad?"

I nodded. "I'll have my friends there plus Brad can defend me if needed."

Mom smiled at me. "Your brother always has had your back…Most of the time."

I nodded again and we walked into the toy store to buy Mark a toy since Mom had promised him one yesterday. With Mom's permission, I walked over to the baby toys with Hannah and picked out a toy for her. It was another dangling toy that she could reach at and bat at.

"We need to head back. Your father's expecting us any minute now," Mom told as we headed out to the car.

"Mom, can we put the toy on her car seat now?"

Mom nodded with a smile and I attached it, with Hannah starting to bat at it on the way home. Getting in, I buckled her in and shut her door. I got in on the other side and started to fall asleep. My head drooped into Hannah's car seat and I started to fall asleep into it, nodding off.

….

I pulled in and chuckled at what I saw. Randy was fast asleep with his head draped in Hannah's lap and Hannah's hand grasping onto him. It didn't seem to hurt him, or if it did, he didn't seem to mind it. Then again, he never minded anything that she did, which was shocking.

"Hey, honey," Tim kissed me. "Aww, Randy looks cute!"

I smiled at him. "I think he's going to scare boyfriends away for you."

"Well, he, his brothers and I can share that job," Tim joked.

I laughed which seemed to wake Randy up and he yawned, stretching out. He got out and ran inside to go find Brad. Holding Hannah in my arms, I held her and she cooed happily at me.

"Did Daddy's baby girl miss Daddy?" Tim reached for her and I took her.

I laughed softly and kissed his cheek. "She seems so happy."

"She's such a happy baby. I can't for what that means when she's older."

I nodded with a laugh. "I think Randy has a special love for her. Not like a crush love, but like a bond like you and Marty had."

Tim smiled at me as we walked in. "If that's true, I'd be the happiest father alive. I love seeing my boy being a devoted big brother."

I laughed softly and put Hannah in her swing. "Marie's not offended that Joe's not one of the godfathers. She understood and agreed with you. Ilene's over the moon about Al being one of the godfathers."

Tim grinned and started the stove. "I'm glad. I'm sorry about Joe, but I don't really trust him around Hannah alone. The boys had the right instincts."

I nodded. "I guess brothers have instincts too." I chuckled.

"Dang right they do."

….

Mark, Randy and I were watching Hannah while Mom was with Marie and Ilene. Dad was at the hardware store, so that left us to babysit Hannah. It didn't bother us to have to babysit Hannah. In fact, we loved babysitting her. She loved being with us and we loved being with her.

"Brad, can you warm up a bottle for me?" Randy told as he walked downstairs, carrying Hannah close to his chest.

I nodded. "Sure can!" I set the water to lukewarm and put the bottle under the warm water with Hannah starting to cry.

After it was sufficiently warm, I tossed it to Randy who sat down and fed Hannah. He loved her more than anybody, even Beth at this point. He was never one to get angry with her if she was being upset.

"Hey guys," Mark walked down. "I just switched Dad's shampoo bottle with that stuff that washes out after one rinse but it's pink hair dye."

I laughed and high fived him. "Good job, man. You might turn out to be human after all if you keep learning from us."

Randy was burping Hannah and nodded in agreement. "You're learning well, young Skywalker."

Mark laughed as did I and we sat down, with Randy finishing with her bottle and putting her in the swing to play. Turning on the TV, we turned it on and started watching a kid friendly show to make Hannah happy.

"Hey Brad, what's middle school like?" Randy asked.

I looked at him with a grin. "Well, first of all, you have a locker. You can either opt to carry everything in your bag or go to your locker and then to class."

Randy looked at me with a grin. "Oh yeah! Our teacher told me about that! I chose Jeremy as my locker partner!"

I nodded with a smile. "There's a _lot_ more homework in middle school than in elementary school so expect to do it every day."

"No, I figured we'd sing Kum By Yah and have a party," Randy gave me a look.

I rolled my eyes. " _Anyways_ , be sure to know your locker combination. Being tardy results in automatic detention."

"What's detention?" Randy asked.

"It's when you stay after school and they make you do stuff."

"Another thing, you get seven teachers, so learn their personalities and know how to please them and what makes them annoyed."

"Seven? So I go from class to class? Ugh," Randy groaned.

"It's not that bad. There's a lot of hot teachers there. Anyways, seating in the cafeteria makes a difference. Be sure to avoid the table where Vinnie sits of course and you and Jeremy are always welcome at my table, assuming we have the same lunch period."

"There's different periods in middle school too?"

I nodded. "There's three shifts. I find out my school schedule next week and so will you, so you'll know what lunch shift you'll get."

"Thanks, man!" Randy grinned at me. "Dang, middle school sounds fun! I hope I have a lot of classes with Beth."

I shrugged at him and changed the channel to football. "It depends. There's a lot more kids so it's not as likely."

Dad walked in with Mom and Randy and I started watching a rerun of the Lions versus the Rams which was last season.

"Ooh, who's playing?" Dad asked and sat down while Mom and Randy went upstairs to take care of Hannah.

I grinned at him. "The Lions and the Rams."

"Sounds fun! So what were you and Randy talking about that got him so happy?"

"We were talking about middle school. I gave him some advice."

"That's nice of you! Thank you, Brad! Now, let's get back to watching the game!"

I couldn't wait for my brother to experience middle school with me.


	11. Summer Fun Days (August 1, 1994)

"Boys, look what just came today," Mom waved letters in our faces. "Your guys' school schedules and supply lists! After we look at your schedules, we can go get supplies for you guys!"

I groaned outwardly, causing Hannah to copy that noise. With a laugh, I looked at her as she cooed and kicked her feet playfully, trying to be just like me. Mom chuckled at Hannah and so did Brad. Brad, Mom and I were almost always amused by something she did.

"Are you feeling your big brothers' pain?" Mom chuckled as Hannah watched from the play mat.

It read:

 _Dear Mr. and Mrs. Taylor,_

 _On behalf of Huron Middle School, I am happy to welcome you and Randy to the 1994-1995 school year! We're looking forward to a productive partnership with you to make sure that Randy is using all his potential! In order for that to happen, he needs it from school and more importantly, from home! We share the responsibility for your son's success and we'll do our best to carry that out! We ask that you guide and support your son's learning by ensuring that he:_

 _Attends school every day and on time, ensuring that he's ready to learn!_

 _Completes all homework given by his teachers!_

 _Reads daily to develop a love for reading_

 _Shares daily with both of you so that you know what's going on in his life!_

 _Informs you if he needs any support in any subject_

 _Know that you expect him to excel in school and go on to college._

 _At orientation, your son will get a booklet that will be his guide to middle school! Orientation will be on the 22_ _nd_ _of August! School begins on August 29_ _th_ _! For Randy, it begins at 8:00, but for eighth graders, it's at 9:30._

 _Yours, Mrs. Princeton_

 _Huron Middle Principal_

"Mrs. Princeton's awesome, Mom! She's really hot," Brad gazed dreamily.

"Bradley," Mom warned. "That's not how to talk about women."

Brad pouted but looked at me with a smile at the thought of Ashley being in his class and I was doing the same about Beth.

"Do you guys want your schedules now?" Mom asked with a smile.

I rolled my eyes. "No, I wanna be surprised! Yes, I want it."

Mom laughed and handed them to us. With a grin, I looked over at Brad who smiled at me and raised his eyebrows. It seemed that Brad was all knowing about junior high and next year, he would be about high school. Having a brother that was only one year older wasn't a bad thing anymore.

"Brad, what's your schedule?" I asked curiously.

"First is history with Mrs. Dorcas. Second is auto shop with Mr. Jackson. Third is English with Mr. Williams. Fourth is study hall with Mrs. Baxter. Lunch is A. Fifth is science with Mrs. Brennan. Sixth is Spanish with Mrs. Bruno and seventh is math with Mrs. Green," Brad smiled. "Yours?"

"First is English with Mrs. Nichol. Second is history with Mr. Whittmore. Third is art with Mrs. Brown. Fourth is study hall with Mrs. Baxter. Lunch is A. Fifth is science with Mr. Hill. Sixth is Spanish with Mrs. Lopez. Seventh is math with Mrs. Green, just like you. We have two classes together!"

Brad grinned at me. "That's not coincidental. I asked that we have the same study hall so that we can still be like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Math is because you're in the same math level as me, I'm not very smart at it."

I grinned happily. "Who's Mrs. Green?"

Brad groaned. "Ugh, she is the most annoying person on the planet. She's not only strict, she gets mad when I do stuff. It's stuff that not even Al gets annoyed with, in fact, he'd have helped us."

"You know, since we'll be together, we can cause all sorts of trouble," I looked around seeing that Mom was playing with Hannah.

Brad grinned. "That's why you're the brains, Randy."

Mom laughed softly. "Are the two of you partners in crime again?"

I nodded. "I think we are."

"And you can sit by me with Jeremy at lunch. Vinnie's even meaner at lunch than he is at home."

Mom smiled at us. "I'm happy to see you two back to being friends again."

I laughed with a grin. "So am I! Tom and Huck are back!"

Brad laughed with an evil smirk. "Let's go find Mark!"

….

I carried Hannah over to where Jill was cooking and looked at the pot in disgust. It was chili and normally I love chili, but hers is always disgusting. No offense to Jill, but I always was happy when someone else cooked. The boys felt the same, but my gut told me that Hannah would probably take Jill's side. Being the only girls in the house makes them a lot closer.

"Hi. I'm Tim, your narrator. Jill is cooking what looks like mushy sauce with beans. It's not only inedible, it's disgusting," I teased.

Jill rolled her eyes with a laugh and kept cooking. "Great example you're setting. Is Daddy mean to Mommy?"

Hannah had focused her gaze on me and her gaze met mine. By just looking at her, my heart melted at seeing my baby girl. She had Jill's brown hair, but she had my blue eyes, which I adored. Though blue eyes were recessive (small chance to occur if there were dominant genes), all the kids seemed to inherit them.

"You have the prettiest blue eyes, princess. They're as blue as the ocean," I rocked her and she looked at me curiously.

Jill kissed me and went back to cooking.

"As the cooking continues, the house continues to smell bad. Jill's attempting to cook but is unable to make the food inedible, thus ruining the chili."

Jill rolled her eyes at me. "You know, that can be very annoying and you're acting like a toddler. Does the baby need a naptime?"

I laughed. "No, I need my blankie and bib."

"Speaking of bibs, we need to start putting a bib on Hannah when she starts eating soon since she'll be drooling a lot more."

I tickled Hannah's chin and made her laugh. "Is my baby girl finally starting to get teeth like a big girl?"

Jill kept cooking and I carried Hannah over to the couch, holding her in my arms. I saw so much of Jill inside of her. I hoped that Hannah would turn out to be just like her mother. I loved her no matter what either way.

"Baby girl, you look just like your mommy."

Hannah gave me a curious look and smiled at me curiously, babbling at me. With a gummy smile, she cooed at me and I melted.

"Dad!" Randy ran in. "Hi, Sissy! Can I sit in the audience and take care of Hannah for you after school with Brad when school starts?"

I thought about it. "I don't see why not. We have a changing table in the bathroom, plus you and Brad seem to be able to keep her under control."

Randy grinned at me. "That's awesome! Hi, Hannie!"

Hannah cooed happily, recognizing her big brother. She flailed her arms happily and seemed to just melt Randy. It was something that Jill and I didn't take lightly. It was a relationship that we adored. We also knew that it was a vital one. For some reason, Randy relied on Hannah and vice versa, but we didn't question it. It wasn't sexual or weird (just a big brother's love) so we loved it.

"Aww, did someone recognize their big brother?" Jill smiled as Randy took her and seemed overjoyed with her.

Hannah seemed ecstatic to be in Randy's arms.

"Mom, guess what? Dad's letting me and Brad be in the audience to help take care of Hannah after school! Is that okay?"

Jill nodded approval. "It gives you a chance to do homework too."

I chuckled at them and saw Randy's face light up like a Christmas tree. Any time that boy could take care of Hannah, he jumped at the chance. He didn't take his job as a big brother lightly. I often warned people not to think lightly of how he cared for Hannah (or how Brad did) since that didn't settle well with either.

"I think someone's going to have a best friend to play with when she gets older," Jill smiled at Randy.

Randy rocked her. "Mom, why doesn't Uncle Jeff seem to like Gracie, Claire and Hannah very much? He likes us."

"Well, he may not be used to having nieces. Girls act differently than boys do. Just know that Uncle Marty loves his nephews and niece equally."

"I just realized that Hannah will have two playmates that are her same age and her same gender to grow up with."

Jill laughed. "That'll be so cute!"

…...

I put Hannah on the changing table and she started to squirm, trying to get down. Yesterday, she had started moving around when I had changed her diaper. It was a moment I had been dreading for awhile now. It meant that she'd start becoming mobile and would be a lot harder to keep up with. It wasn't all bad though. She had rolled over yesterday and it amused Tim and me.

"Mom, do you want some help?" Randy asked eagerly.

I nodded with a smile. "I'd love that and I'm sure Hannah would too."

"Peek-a-boo!" Randy played with Hannah.

Hannah laughed as I was able to get her diaper off her and started changing her diaper.

"Is your big brother being silly?" Hannah laughed.

Hannah cooed happily.

Randy laughed. "Do you see Bubby's tongue? Copy what Bubby's doing."

Hannah stuck her tongue out and made herself laugh.

I closed her diaper and smiled. "Thanks…Bubby."


	12. Uncles and Aunts (August 8, 1994)

I ran to the door and opened it, seeing Nancy with Gracie in her arms. Claire was in Marty's arms, both twins looking absolutely adorable. Out of Marie, Ilene and Nancy, I had the strongest connection with Nancy. We both were mothers, we both had daughters and we both had annoying husbands.

"Hey, Nancy!" I hugged her. "Hey, Marty! Come on in! Hannah's playing in her bouncer and is in a good mood today."

Tim walked in and hugged Marty. "Hey, little brother! I missed you! My nieces look really cute!"

Nancy smiled. "Aww, Hannah looks so adorable. Hard to believe she'll be three months old in three weeks."

I nodded with a chuckle. "She's already making it hard for Mommy to change her diaper by moving around."

"It's worse at eight months. They crawl away and refuse to stay still," Nancy laughed as Tim and Marty went into the garage. "Mind if I hold Hannah?"

"Not at all! She'd love to see her aunt!"

Nancy picked Hannah up and she curiously looked at her. It was as if Hannah was saying, "Who are you? A friend or a foe?" It made me laugh since babies were open to anyone holding them at this age. Soon, she'd cry when being away from Tim, the boys or me. For now, she liked being around others.

"She's so precious," Nancy smiled. "She has Tim and Marty's eyes."

I laughed and rocked her close. "Gracie and Claire seemed to have inherited them too, it seems to run in the family."

Nancy chuckled with a smile. "That's true. I was wondering if you guys would be interested in being Gracie and Claire's godparents. If something happened to us, we'd want you guys to be the ones to get the twins. You're the most responsible. We just think Lucille is too old and we don't trust their other brothers."

"We would love to be the godparents! We were wondering if you guys could be that for Hannah since you are for the boys."

((A/N: I know I said Ilene and Al were, but scratch that. Marty and Nancy are)).

Nancy's face brightened and she smiled at me. "We'd love that! If something happened, I'm sure the girls would love living with their cousin!"

I chuckled and played with Hannah. "Would you like having your aunt and uncle and cousins here more often?"

Nancy laughed softly. "I see you, Hannah."

I laughed softly. "Then it's settled."

Nancy laughed too. "It is."

….

I walked out to the garage with Marty and started work on the car. It was exciting to me that I had my little brother here with me for the week. Aside from Marty, I didn't really like my brothers all that much. They were mean, stupid and lazy, but they were my brothers and I loved them. Still, I didn't like their company very much, especially around the kids.

The reason I had a bond with Marty was because I looked after him. Our dad died and meant Mom would go back to work. By then, Jeff was out of the house. It made Brian the oldest but he had gone off to party and so did Danny. John had little to no interest in staying so Mom let me stay home alone with Marty. I was basically a babysitter until I went to college. I would come home from break (Jill too) and help her raise him. I was there for all his firsts. Once I was married and settled down, I had to step back a bit but by then, Marty was off to college.

I also liked Marty because he wanted to be responsible. He didn't want to go party every night (cough-cough, Danny) or gamble his money on businesses (Jeff). He wanted to stay home with his family. I had a big respect for him, but I wanted him to be that way so that he wouldn't turn out like our brothers.

It was a bond that I saw formed with Randy and Hannah. Randy wasn't responsible for watching Hannah often (he often requested to), but he took to her. He'd play with her, change her, make her laugh, anything that made her happy. I foresaw him and Hannah being like Marty and I were in the future. His kids and her kids would play together whenever they could.

"So how do you guys like having a baby girl?" Marty asked as he handed me a tool and started helping me with the hot rod.

I smiled and looked at the car. "I love it. It's such fun. There's nothing like seeing that little smile in the morning when you change her diaper or when you hold her."

Marty chuckled and looked at me. "I'm twice as lucky. I get two faces that do that for me in the morning. Just wait until they can move more. She'll be twice as fun."

"So, I wanted to ask you something. Jill and I know wanted to know if you and Nancy would be interested in being Hannah's godparents since you're the boys'?"

Marty gave a smile. "We'd love to! Nancy and I love the four of them!"

I smiled at him, feeling proud. "And Jill and I love our nieces. We figured you two could handle the kids. Mom's a bit old and you guys would still have energy. We didn't want to have our parents have to do it if something happens."

"That reminds me. Nancy and I were wondering if you guys wanna be the twins' godparents since you guys still have energy. You guys seem like the best choice for doing that."

I nodded with a smile. "Jill and I would love that."

If something ever did happen (there was a slim chance of that), the kids would go to Marty and Nancy. It'd give them a stable home, but it'd also give them people who they knew and loved to take care of them. It gave Hannah some playmates and they wouldn't have to be separated. I know, that means six kids for poor Marty and Nancy, but I knew they wouldn't mind.

Marty and Nancy always had shown love to the kids and I knew they would take good care of them if something ever did happen. If something ever happened to Marty and Nancy, Jill and I had agreed to gladly to take the twins. They needed a stable home and it was the best thing that they could have. It'd mean six kids for us, but that didn't mean it'd hurt them.

"Thanks again, Tim," Marty smiled at me.

I smiled and hugged him. "No problem man."

….

"Hey Uncle Marty!" Randy, Mark and I ran to him.

Marty looked down at us with a smile and sipped his coffee. "Hey guys! You wanna come to the pool with your aunt, cousins and I?"

I nodded eagerly. "I do! Randy, Mark, what about you?"

Randy grinned. "I'll go! Maybe Beth will be there."

Mark nodded in agreement and Uncle Marty went upstairs to go tell them that we were leaving with him to go to the hardware store. Since Mom and Dad trusted Uncle Marty pretty much more than anyone, they'd happily let us go. After all, if something happened to them, that's where we'd go.

"That's fine with us, Marty. Would you mind taking Hannah with you? We've got to go get some supplies and we'd like alone time," Mom asked.

Marty nodded with a smile. "We'd love to. We'll gladly take the kids off your hands for you for a while."

Mom hugged him. "Thanks, Marty. Be good and help them with the babies. Have fun, you guys! I love you!"

"Love you guys! Have fun!" Dad told and headed out the door with Mom.

That just left Uncle Marty, Aunt Nancy, Randy, Mark, the babies and me. They'd have six kids with them, the poor people! Though I knew immediately that Randy would take charge of Hannah without a shadow of a doubt. Nancy would take care of the twins along with helping Randy, so that just left Uncle Marty, Mark and me.

Mom had left the six passenger van with the three car seats in the front row and three regular seats in the back row. Uncle Marty and Aunt Nancy were fun to hang out with, especially since they let us get away with things. They'd let us do things that Mom and Dad never let us do!

"Brad, you get in first," Uncle Marty told.

I got in obediently and buckled up, tossing my bag for the pool in the trunk. After I was in, Randy eagerly got in and sat by me, buckling himself up. Though I never said anything, I secretly liked that Randy was sitting by me. I thought of him as my best friend and someone that I could go to for anything and everything. That was mushy, I know, but I didn't care. Anyways, Mark got in and Uncle Marty pushed the front seats back up.

Aunt Nancy buckled Hannah up in the middle seat, handing her the toy she liked. After Hannah was in, Uncle Marty buckled Gracie and Aunt Nancy buckled Claire. They started the car and we drove off.

"Hey Randy, are you excited to start middle school?" I asked.

Randy nodded with a big grin. "I found out that I have four classes with Beth!"

"Four? Wow! That's really lucky! I only have two classes with Ashley."

Randy shrugged at me. "At least you have classes with her. Hey, do you guys think the four of us could hang out sometime? Like we could sit together on the bus and walk home and hang out on the first day of school?"

I grinned. "That's an awesome idea. I'll protect you from Mrs. Green. Stick by me and you'll be safe, little brother."

"Guess what I did to Mark while he was sleeping? You know the hand in warm water trick that you taught me?"

"Did it work? It usually does," I looked at him.

"He wet the bed and woke himself up, but by then I was gone! Mom got mad, but Dad thought it was funny."

Uncle Marty parked at the pool and we all climbed out. Like I expected, Aunt Nancy and Randy headed with the babies to the kiddie pool. Mark saw his friends but none of mine were there, so I kept Uncle Marty company. It wasn't torture, it was like talking to Randy.

"I saw that you and Randy are buddy-buddy again. Did your dad ever tell you that he and I were like that?" Marty asked as he sipped a root beer.

I shook my head. "He might have. Why? Is that a bad thing?"

"No, it's actually a really good thing. You have a best friend that's built-in and you guys can relate more than non-related best friends can. It's why your aunt and I hope that Hannah, Gracie and Claire can become best friends."

"I just feel this urge to protect him. Whenever someone hurts him, I get mad."

"That, too, is perfectly normal, Brad. That means that you're showing brotherly love and your dad did that for me all the time. In fact, he still does it."

I looked at the ground sadly. "I was so mean to him last year, I'm surprised he still wants to be my best friend."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. We're all mean to our brothers. This may not surprise you, but I'm mean to your dad a lot. If the world was all sunshine and rainbows, wouldn't that get boring?"

"Yeah, I just hope he's forgiven me."

"From watching the two of you…he has and he's grateful that you stick around and still want to be friends with him. Your dad was like that when I was little, but he got over it and now, we're practically best friends."

Before I could speak, Vinnie pushed me in the pool and I caught myself, looking up at him, but I couldn't anymore. Before I knew it, Uncle Marty had swiftly stood in front of me and all I could see was his butt. Like Mom and Dad, Uncle Marty and Aunt Nancy were extremely protective of us.

"You better get out of here before I call your parents. I don't ever want to see you hurting my nephews or niece ever again. Do you hear me?"

Vinnie nodded and scurried off, looking scared for the first time in like ever. That was really cool of Uncle Marty to do that! I knew that I had an uncle who would die or do anything for me.

"Thanks, Uncle Marty. He's a bit of a bully," I sighed.

"That's okay. No one lays a hurting hand on my nephews and gets away with it."

….


	13. Unlimited Love (August 15, 1994)

"This little piggy went to the market!" I wriggled Hannah's big toe and she laughed playfully, kicking her feet and making herself coo.

I laughed and playfully wriggled her other one. "This little piggy stayed home! Just like you and I are doing, Hannie!"

Hannah cooed happily and looked at Mom who smiled. "This little piggy had roast beef!"

"And this little piggy had none!" I made a sad face at Hannah who copied me and Mom and I burst out laughing.

My ultimate favorite person to hang out with was Hannah. She was just like me but she also was such a gentle soul. I know, she's a baby, but I loved how sweet she was especially when not having colic. There was nothing that would stop me from protecting this baby from literally anyone or anything hurting her.

"This little piggy went wee, wee, wee all the way home!" I made a silly face.

Hannah was laughing with joy and kicking her legs, showing that she was happy and content with what we were doing. Hearing her laugh was one of my favorite sounds, after hearing the waves of the ocean. That's mushy, but I didn't care who saw or heard how I felt. What I was feeling wasn't wrong. I didn't love my sister in the way I loved Beth, but I loved Hannah as a best friend.

"Mom, did Uncle Marty tell you what he did at the pool?" I asked as she started putting away Hannah's clothes.

"No, honey. What did Uncle Marty do?" Mom asked with a smile.

I looked up at her eagerly. "He saved Brad at the pool by making Vinnie run away and is an awesome uncle!"

Mom smiled at me and kissed my head. "You've got an awesome uncle and aunt, don't you, Randy?"

I nodded with a laugh and played peek-a-boo with Hannah. There was nothing like playing Hannah and my mom. With a laugh, Mom tickled me and sat on the couch with me and me holding Hannah in my arms.

….

I slammed the door shut and felt tears roll down my cheeks, angry at what just happened at the grocery store. Someone had yelled at me for letting Randy help, but it was something that Tim and I always did. I tried to deflect the comment, but that didn't change the fact that it hurt my feelings.

Looking for Tim, I saw him in the kitchen and walked towards him with tears running down my face. Makeup was running down my cheeks, but I didn't care. I was hurt and I needed Tim's comfort. Wiping it off, I found a wipe and wiped the makeup off as I walked towards him. Opening his arms, Tim hugged me tight and I started to cry into him.

"Shh, Jill, what's the matter? I hate seeing you cry," Tim kissed my head and rubbed my back, letting me sob into him.

"A-At the store, someone yelled at me for letting Randy help with Hannah. They called me a lazy parent and didn't understand that he loves to help."

Tim pushed my hair behind my ears and kissed my head. "Take what she said and just let it go through your other ear. You know how people make fun of me? That's what I do—I don't take it to heart."

"You don't think I'm a bad mother?" I looked up at him.

Tim shook his head. "Jill, I'm biased, but I think you're the best mother ever. Those kids know and show that to you every day. Brad even said it while you were gone and he wanted to talk to you about something."

I sniffled and Tim chuckled at me. "Randy does seem to have a special connection with me, besides not wanting to be around me."

"And that's normal for a boy, honey," Tim chuckled. "You have a baby that adores you like crazy."

I laughed, kissing him and smiled at him. "My life is pretty amazing, huh?"

Tim laughed and kissed me. "I guess it is."

I laughed harder and hugged close to him. "Tim, what do you love about me?"

Tim thought about it and smiled. "What I love about you is that you don't take any crap from anybody. You're soft and sweet, but whenever someone hurts the kids or me, you get really sassy and show them up."

I laughed and wiped tears from my eyes. "I love you, Tim. More than anything. Even if I get mad at you a lot, I love you."

"You have good reason to be mad at me a lot, honey. I love you too. I won't love any woman like I love you."

"So you wouldn't trade me in?"

Tim laughed in amusement and shook his head. "Not even for the most insane amount of money, honey. I love you too much."

I kissed him. "I love you too honey."

"Hi Mom," Brad walked in. "Why've you been crying?"

"I'm okay, honey," I smiled.

…..

"Hey Mom," Mark walked downstairs.

"Hi honey," I hugged him. "Are you okay?"

Mark nodded and looked at me with a big smile. Lately, Brad and Randy had been including Mark in their stuff now and I was happy. The three of them would get into trouble together and it was just so cute!

"Mom, where's Hannah?" Mark asked.

I smiled. "She's sleeping, honey. Let her be."

Mark shrugged and walked off.

((A/N: Sorry that this is so short and messy! I'm tired! Longer update coming!))


	14. Middle School Ready (August 22, 1994)

I walked into the school with Mom, Brad and Dad and looked around nervously. This school was so big and it was kind of nerve-wracking. Elementary school was about as big, but we stayed in one classroom there. I'd have to find my way around the school in less than five minutes. Thankfully, Brad would save me. He'd agreed to come with me to explain things that I wouldn't understand.

The school was painted white and there were big windows. To my left, I saw the office where the secretary and principals were. There were two ways to go. Either left or right. On the left, it led you to classrooms and the right led you to another hall as well as a classroom.

"Follow them," Brad whispered.

I walked down the hall and saw a bunch of computers at the table. There were seats and we took the front row. Mom and Dad sat on either side of us with Brad and I getting to sit together again. With a laugh, Brad whispered something and we laughed hard, causing Mom and Dad to raise their eyebrows.

"You two are silly," Mom chuckled.

I laughed and the principal walked up. He had short brown hair with a mustache and was tall. He had a bit of a gut with a blue suit. The assistant principal had a gray suit on with graying hair and blue eyes.

"Hi. I'm Mr. Griffin, I'm your principal. This is Mr. Tanner. He's your assistant principal," Mr. Griffin smiled.

Dad looked at him curiously and Brad whispered, "Make sure not to anger him and he's a good guy. Mr. Tanner's a bit stricter."

"Let's talk about scheduling," Mr. Tanner started talking.

I whispered to Brad. "Let's talk about getting that mole removed."

Brad laughed and Mom gave us a look to hush.

"All periods are 45 minutes. School starts around 8:00 but you can get here as early as 7:45 with breakfast being served. You're free to roam the halls then, but you can also go to your classrooms."

Brad whispered to me, "You're also allowed to visit friends, go to the library or see teachers if you need any help."

I nodded a thank you to him and Mr. Tanner droned on about the schedule. Neither Brad nor I were paying any attention, so we were quietly planning a prank. Dad got in on the prank since he too was bored. Mom was the only one listening, but she expected that so she wasn't mad.

"We have categories of classes. There's core classes and there are what are called electives which are chosen. Core classes are required and are: math, science, FCS, art, English, wood shop, PE and social studies."

"That's a bit of a duh," Brad whispered. "FCS, art and woodshop are one each trimester. Trimesters run from September to November, December to February and March to May. PE is every other day, alternating with chorus."

"There's plenty of extracurricular activities. There's sports, clubs, the variety show and the school play."

"Fall is cross country, volleyball and football. Girls basketball and wrestling is in November/December. Boys' basketball is in January/February. Track and softball are in the spring. Cheerleading is all day. There's book club, math club, science club and plenty of others," Brad whispered.

"How is middle school different?" Mr. Griffin asked, acting like a kid.

 _Shoot me now,_ I rolled my eyes and looked at Brad who shared the look with Dad.

"You get a locker with a combination. Remember that combination! You don't want to be tardy on your first day of school. You'll have several teachers so get to know them and get to class on time."

Brad looked at me and wanted to shoot a spit wad at Mr. Griffin. Dad shook his head no to indicate that we should wait until later to do it. The presentation seems to finally have ended and I sighed in relief. That was the most boring hour of my life that I would never get back. It was better than having to listen to Al blab on about something though. Poor Mark!

"Randy, let's find your locker," Mom told and Brad nodded approval.

I saw that my locker was labeled 45 which was by the math classroom. Running to my locker, Brad chased after me and we laughed. Mom shook her head with a smile and Dad grinned in approval.

"Your combination is 73-45-02," Dad read.

"Turn the lock three times," Brad showed. "Turn it to the left. 72…73! Turn it to the right…44…45! And again to the left. 01…02! You try!"

I copied him and did exactly what he did.

"Good job, honey!" Mom smiled. "Want to travel to all your classes before we head home?"

I nodded eagerly and Mom smiled, putting her arm around me.

Brad looked at my list. "English with Mrs. Nichol. That way."

We walked back down the hall and headed toward the hallway with the English and history classrooms. "It says it's room #32."

I saw the door and looked down my list. "Second period is history with Mrs. Whittmore."

Brad looked at it. "That's number 40. Farther down this hall."

We walked down and Dad read the next number. "Art with Mrs. Brown."

After we went to art, we headed down to a science room that was also study hall.

"Thanks guys," I smiled at them.

Mom hugged me and Dad beamed down, with Brad giving a smile of approval. With a face, Brad pointed out Mrs. Green and we laughed. Mom gave a look, but Dad high fived us. Mom rolled her eyes and we headed out to the car. Mom laughed softly and helped us in.

"Thanks man," I looked at Brad.

"Anything for my best friend," Brad smiled.

….

I held Hannah on my lap with Mom sitting beside me and we looked at my school manual, knowing what to expect when we got there. While I was excited to go to middle school like Brad, I was also scared. I knew that Vinnie would tease me, but I had Brad to protect me.

"What does it say first?" Mom asked and I rocked Hannah.

"The first day of school is August 29th. The end of first quarter is November 7th. Conferences are November 8th and November 10th. November 21-25 is Thanksgiving break. Holiday break is December 21-January 4th. January 5th is when we go back. The end of 2nd quarter is January 7th. January 16th is Martin Luther King Day. Conferences are February 15th and February 17th. February 18th is a professional development day. February 20th is Presidents Day. March 15th ends the third quarter and spring break is the 20th-24th 0f March. The last day is June 1st, but snow days will be made up at the end of the year."

Mom nodded. "Okay. Read the next section."

I skipped the mission statement and went to the first section. Absences. That was kind of a problem since I got sick a lot, but the doctor was on my side usually. It wasn't my fault and the doctor faxed notes to my teachers. Mom and Dad were on my side too so I had that too.

"Every parent or guardian will send their child from age five to seventeen will enroll and send their child to a district school."

"That's an obvious," Mom told as she helped hold the book for me.

"Students will follow the same rules while travelling to and from school if they're still on school grounds. The bus driver will not drive until everyone is down. Suspension or expulsion can occur if behavior is not up to par on the bus. Parents will be responsible if transportation privileges are lost."

"I'm sure you and Brad can behave yourselves," Mom smiled at me.

"All students can choose their own seats but you're subject to get a seat if you are found to need close supervision. Be at the bus stop at the latest five minutes before it comes and stand a safe distance from it. NO playing in the roadways. Wait until you are given the signal to get on the bus. Enter and leave the bus quickly and orderly, not taking your sweet time. All classroom rules apply. Follow the directions of the bus driver at all times. Be respectful to your bus driver. Do not harass the other bus riders. Keep bus aisle clear."

Mom rubbed my back. "You'll do fine, Randy."

"The first offense is a reprimand. Second and third are in school suspensions. Fourth and fifth are suspensions from the bus."

"Not to include the punishment from Dad and I," Mom told.

That meant she'd ground us.

"Excused absences required a written note. Illness, emergency in the family, religious holidays or medical appointments are excused."

"If you do get sick honey, the doctor will take care of it," Mom smiled.

"Appointments are encouraged to be made after school. Parents are required to give permission to let kids go on school trips."

"Your dad and I usually will."

"The first bell is 7:45. First period is 8:00-8:45. Second is 8:49-9:34. Third is 9:38-10:23. Fourth is 10:27-11:12. Lunch is 10:30-12:00. Fifth is 12:30-1:15. Sixth is 1:19-2:04. Seventh is 2:04-3:00. Parents who wish to visit their kids will sign in the office and the phone in the office is only for calling home."

Mom nodded to show she was listening.

"Grading scale. 90-100 is an A. 80-89 is a b, 70-79 is a C, 60-69 a D and 59 and below is an F. Letters are sent home every four and a half weeks to parents. They must be signed and returned to school."

"If a student becomes too ill or contagious to be in class, the principal will call and let the parents know. Student will remain in the nurse's office until parent can come pick the child up. Plagiarism is not allowed and will get you grade to be counted as a zero if you're caught."

I looked at Mom nervously and she hugged me, with a squeak from Hannah.

"Honey, you're gonna do just fine, okay? Brad knows the ropes and it's not as scary as it seems. It's actually a lot of fun."

Brad nodded, walking up the steps. "It's a lot of fun! Don't worry little brother! I'm here…best friend."

Mark ran up the steps and nodded. "Plus, you get to do that for me when I'm in middle school, but you'll be in high school."

I laughed softly and looked at Hannah. "Do you think Bubby can do it?"

Hannah cooed happily as if to say yes and she made a noise. She wanted to be cuddled again and I obliged happily.

Mom laughed and kissed my head. "See? Even Hannah believes in you."

"Don't forget Dad," Dad laughed. "Randy, it's actually a lot of fun. You get to have crushes and you get to have bragging rights over Mark."

I laughed and looked at them. "Thanks guys!"


	15. Come to Me (August 29, 1994)

I walked into the school with Brad who looked at me with a smile. Today was my first day of middle school and I had a mixture of feelings. I was excited but yet scared to experience a new adventure. Still, I had my brother and my best friend to guide me through this since he had gone through it last year. Last year, we were at each other's throats, but now we were better again.

"You ready, Randy?" Brad grinned but I looked in worry,

"Brad, Vinnie's coming this way! What do we do?" I looked at him.

Brad looked at me. "Just go to your locker, man. I'm right behind you."

With a sigh, I walked over to my locker, thinking about babysitting Hannah. Dad had agreed to let me babysit Hannah at Tool Time after school starting today. Mom allowed it too, so Dad would pick me up after school and take me to Tool Time. It meant I wouldn't ride the bus with Brad on the days when it was at three. When it wasn't, I'd ride home with Brad.

"Well, well, if it isn't the shrimp? What's the matter? Is Brad not here to protect you?" Vinnie teased.

I didn't dare say anything because what would come out wouldn't be nice. I didn't dare get in trouble since it could mean I wouldn't be able to go to Tool Time. So, I kept my mouth shut and envisioned getting to see Beth or playing with Hannah. It really helped keep me calm (thanks, Mom and Dad!).

"Doesn't your mouth work, shrimp? Or are you an idiot, just like your sister?" Vinnie grinned. "Hannah doesn't even know how to eat solid food!"

 _Are you really that stupid? Babies can't have solid food for months!_ My anger boiled towards Vinnie but I still tried to keep calm. My mouth had a different idea though, but I knew I wouldn't get in trouble. Plus, Brad would be right behind me when I needed him. He too got furious whenever people insulted Hannah.

"Keep my sister's name out of your filthy mouth!" I glared at him. "And don't ever talk about her again!" I kept my hands off him.

Vinnie laughed and grabbed me, lifting me up in the air. With a scared look, I tried to wipe off the terror on my face but I was shaking. My asthma was starting to pent up, but I squirmed, not noticing that Brad had grabbed a teacher.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" The teacher asked as Vinnie dropped me.

I scrambled towards Brad and panted, searching for my inhaler. With a whimper, I wasn't able to find it, but I saw that Brad had it in his hand. Right now, I was so thankful that my brother was protective. Though he tormented me sometimes at home, he was still protective.

"Are you okay, Randy?" Brad asked. "Do you need your inhaler?"

I took a puff but realized that I was starting to breathe normal again. The teacher forced Vinnie to go to the office, but grabbed my neck and dragged me. With a whimper, I looked at Brad who was running to keep after us. While it was stupid, I wanted our mom and dad, who'd take our side.

"That hurts," I looked up at the teacher as she plopped me down.

Brad ran over to me. "I don't see a bruise, Randy. You're alright."

"Go on to class," The teacher told Brad but he stood in front of me.

"I'm not letting my little brother go through this alone," Brad looked at me.

I flashed a grateful smile at him and we gave the famous Taylor smirk.

"Tell me what happened," Mr. Tanner looked at us.

I told what Vinnie did with Brad putting his hand on my shoulders and I felt like he'd protect me if they didn't believe me. He'd do his dead level best to make sure that I was treated fairly, just like Mom and Dad did. I was extremely grateful and I knew that I'd still be allowed to go to Tool Time.

"He pushed me, sir," Vinnie lied and Brad was red in the face with anger.

"Randy can hardly move you, Vinnie! Let alone push you!" Brad glared darkly.

"I never even touched him! I just told him not to say my sister's name! He was insulting her!" I groaned and crossed my arms.

Brad and I shared a look which meant we'd prepare to prank someone.

"I'm afraid I'll have to call both of your parents and you'll need to be sent home for the day," Mr. Tanner grabbed the phone.

Looking at Brad, I looked at him for help and he gave an assuring smile. This wasn't my fault and Mom knew that. She punished me when things were my fault, but for this, she wouldn't do anything. Brad would probably be forced to stay at school and I was shocked they were letting him stay for this long.

"Bradley, go to class," Mr. Tanner waved him off.

Brad knew better than to argue. He looked at me with a look that said we would get to talk later about pranking someone. I knew to expect help from Mom, Dad and Mark too, so it'd be a family affair. Brad walked off and I sat in the seat, looking at the floor.

Mom walked in with Hannah in her arms. With a laugh, she flailed her arms happily and reached toward me. Nodding, Mom gently put her in my arms and I kissed her head, protectively holding her.

"Bubby loves you, Hannie. Bubby loves you more than anyone," I cooed and looked into her big blue eyes.

Hannah cooed happily and we walked back to the car, with me buckling Hannah in her car seat and getting in the back with her.

"Mom, I'm not in trouble, am I?" I looked at her.

Mom shook her head. "No, honey, you still can go to Tool Time with Dad. You didn't use your fists, just your words and I'm proud of you, honey."

I grinned and looked at Hannah. "Hear that, Hannie? I still get to take care of you!"

Hannah laughed and Mom smiled. "Is Bubby making you laugh?"

I laughed and looked at Mom. "Brad stood up for me in there!"

"Be sure to thank your brother at home, honey."

"I will." I smiled.

…

I picked up Hannah and carried her out to the garage where the hot rod was sitting. With a coo, she looked up at me and absolutely just made my heart melt. Nothing made me happier than to just hold my daughter close. I knew she wouldn't like being cooped up much longer, but I was savoring the time. Soon, she'd be mobile and that meant I could play with her more.

"Do you see Daddy's hot rod, baby girl? Do you know what color that is? It's blue! It's a different kind of blue then the sky, but that's okay," I kissed her head.

She looked up at me as I sat in the hot rod with her. Nothing compared to having a daughter of my own. I loved the boys and my nieces, but I loved my daughter with a love that only a father can give to a daughter. She'd be a tough little cookie, but she knew to seek shelter from her family.

"You know, sweetheart, you give the same look that Mommy does," I kissed her head again and she laughed.

Her laugh was one of my favorite sounds and had been ever since she could laugh. So, her cry was one of the sounds I hated to hear. It made me mad at the person who hurt her (or Jill or the boys) and sad that they were hurting. No one could hurt my queen or my princess.

"Someday, you'll get to ride in it, sweetie. That's not for a while though, so Daddy will give you the next best thing—you get to sit in my arms when I'm in it!"

She laughed happily and looked at me, starting to babble.

I loved baby talk! It was the cutest thing! I never understood what it was, but that's okay since I still knew their needs. Nothing in this world was about to hurt my wife or my daughter, but partially that was because they wouldn't take crap. While my wife was sweet and gentle, she doesn't sit back and take everything to heart. She knows when to accept it and when to defend herself. She'd teach Hannah to do the same and I would be a proud dad.

"Aww, does my baby love the hot rod? Are you gonna be a car girl?" I asked with an amused smile.

She cooed and showed me her stuffed lion.

"Yeah, that's Simba. Your big brothers got you that. Aren't they sweet?" I laughed softly and kissed her head.

She cooed and yawned, looking tired.

"Aww, let's get you up to bed, baby doll. Mommy's gonna be home soon and you can nap so that you'll be wide awake to eat," I smiled.

I got out of the car and walked upstairs, carrying Hannah to her crib. With a gentle hand, I laid her in bed and smiled at her.

"Have a good nap, baby," I kissed her head and turned off the light, shutting the door quietly.

….

I walked in and saw that Dad was sitting on the couch watching TV. I guessed that Randy was in his bedroom and Brad was too. Mom was upstairs with Hannah, nursing her. So, that juts left Dad and me, which I didn't mind. I loved having Dad all to myself.

"Hey, buddy. Come play some video games with me," Dad patted the couch.

I shrugged and ran over, sitting on the couch by Dad. With a laugh, I nearly slipped off, but Dad pushed me back gently. He turned on the game and handed me the other controller. We decided to play Super Mario since that was the only game that was truly mine (Brad and Randy had no interest).

"How was your first day of fourth grade? Did you like your teacher?" Dad asked as the game started.

I played the game. "Yeah, she's alright."

Dad chuckled at me. "Is she annoying?"

I shook my head at him. "No, she's really nice."

Dad laughed softly and played the game. "Do you like being the only one at elementary school or do you miss your brothers?"

I shrugged at him. "It's okay, I guess."


	16. Brotherly Love (September 5, 1994)

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as she walked in.

"Tool Time!" Randy's puberty voice made me laugh a little.

I pictured him holding Hannah in his arms. She was old enough to hold to her the "front-view" which shows babies the world. It was something that all babies loved and Hannah along with her twin cousins were no different. That boy had a love for his sister that was just simply adorable. He jumped at the chance to take care of her and to get to spend time with her.

"That's right. Here's the star of our show, Tim the Tool Man Taylor!" Heidi clapped.

I walked in and saw Randy standing by the counter with Hannah in his arms. She seemed content to be in his arms and I knew she would be so I was happy. He'd make her happy but not in a sexual way.

"I am Tim the Tool Man Taylor. Here's my assistant, Al Borland!" I smiled and patted his back, walking over to take Hannah and put my arm around Randy.

Randy looked up at me curiously and I took Hannah, holding her so the viewers could see her and it made her laugh.

"This is my middle son, Randy and my daughter, Hannah," I bounced Hannah. "Say hi to Daddy's viewers, sweetie."

Hannah waved and Randy waved, putting Hannah on her playmat to watch her.

"Now, we're gonna show you how to babyproof a house," Al grinned. "For all you new parents out there!"

I nodded. "The first thing is to check that the gate can only open one way—away from the stairwell to prevent baby from climbing up steps."

"That can be done by pushing," Al explained.

I gave a weird look but Randy laughed. "You'll need to install a stud and those can be bought for as much as $10."

"You just drill it into place and voila, you have a gate. Now, every homeowner should put outlet covers on the outlets. Otherwise, the baby may get shocked."

Randy watched from afar with Hannah in his arms as we installed them. My heart melted whenever I saw Randy doting over his baby sister. He never let anyone hurt or even say anything bad about her. If someone even looked at her wrong, Randy rushed over and came to her rescue. Nothing made him happier. I imagined them being best friends when they were older.

"The next thing to install are covers for the corners," Al told.

I nodded. "All babies eventually bang their head against the corner. Once you have the protector on, it makes it much less painful."

We started by putting them on the counter and the table. Once I did that, I realized that Hannah wouldn't be banging her head on tables for awhile. That still didn't matter to me since I was gonna be overprotective either way.

"While you do this, it's best to keep the baby away," I joked. "Have the wife or someone keep the baby upstairs."

Randy nodded at me. "Dad, I'm gonna go upstairs and change Hannah's diapers. We're stinky, right now, aren't we, Sissy?"

I laughed softly. "It also helps to have a big brother in the house."

"Next, we'll go into the bathroom. Put a safety latch on the medicine cabinet so baby can't get into it," Al put one on.

"It's also best to put protection on the corners up here too," I put them on the corners and nodded

I nodded and walked into Hannah's room. "It helps to anchor the furniture so that they don't topple over on Hannah."

I noticed Randy changing her diaper and indicated the changing table.

"Put child locks on the dresser knobs so that baby can't climb in furniture."

Al put them on and nodded. "Baby could topple over and get hurt."

I grinned at the camera and picked up Hannah who was fully changed and put her in my arms. With a laugh, she waved towards the camera and made me laugh. I kissed her head and looked at the camera.

"Hannah and I say good night and we hoped you liked the show!" I waved.

"We're clear," The director smiled.

I looked at my baby girl who was over the moon happy. When she and Jill were happy, I was happy. I loved my queen and princess!

"Hannie, do you like getting to see Daddy's show with Bubby?" Randy asked.

Hannah cooed and I smiled. We were on the way to having a mobile baby.

…

I sat with Hannah in my lap on the couch. I found a song that kids loved and I wanted to try it with Hannah. Since Mom and Dad weren't home (and Brad was at soccer), I was in charge of her. Not wanting to be the boring babysitter, I tried to make every day that I was with her fun.

"Sorry if my voice is bad, Hannie," I looked at her.

She looked at me as if to say, "I don't care, Bubby. I love you anyways." She flashed a smile and cooed.

"He's got the whole world in his hands! He's got the whole world in his hands! He's got the whole world in his hands! He's got whole wide world in his hands!" I looked at her and kissed her head.

She looked at me drowsily, but I let her stay on my lap and cuddle.

"He's got Mommy and Daddy in his hands! He's got Mommy and Daddy in his hands! He's got Mommy and Daddy in his hands! He's got the whole world in his hands!"

She cooed and yawned, looking at me with her big eyes.

"He's got Brad, Randy and Mark in his hands! He's got Brad, Randy and Mark in his hands! He's got Brad, Randy and Mark in his hands! He's got the whole world in his hands!"

She yawned curiously and started to fall asleep.

"He's got Uncle Marty and Aunt Nancy in his hands! He's got Uncle Marty and Aunt Nancy in his hands! He's got Uncle Marty and Aunt Nancy in his hands! He's got the whole world in his hands."

I kissed her head and laid back, letting her cuddle into me. My heart just gushed with love for my baby sister. She had my heart and a place that was only for her. Not even Beth or this new girl, Michelle, could take that part. That was Hannah's and Hannah's only.

"Hannah, I love you," I murmured softly. "You make Bubby happy."

She was softly sleeping and I yawned, letting her clutch my shirt.

"You don't ever have to worry about being alone. Bubby's always right here whenever you need him. I'm your best friend," I kissed her head.

She hummed softly in her sleep and my eyes were starting to close.

"Twinkle twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are," I looked at her with a smile.

She cooed in her sleep.

"Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky."

"Twinkle twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are,"

She was asleep and I kissed her head, feeling myself start to be drowsy myself. I started to fall asleep myself. My eyes started to close and I drifted off to sleep with my arms wrapped around Hannah.

…

I walked in and smiled at what I saw on the couch. On the couch was a sleeping Randy with Hannah wrapped in his arms (also sleeping). Her head was against his chest and he didn't seem to mind. He just seemed happy to have her in his arms and that she was cuddled close to him, sleeping. Those two were practically inseparable just like Brad and Randy.

"Hey Jill," Tim smiled.

"Shh, come look, Tim," I pointed and Tim walked over.

Tim grunted softly in amusement and looked down at them. "It's amazing how much he loves his baby sister."

"His love for her is unmeasurable. I think he'll never let anyone hurt her."

"That boy frequently amazes me."

I allowed Hannah to sleep into Randy for a while and went onto working on my research for work.

….

I sat with Mark on the couch and we watched TV together. Randy was upstairs doing his homework and Dad was out with Mom. So, that left just Mark and me since Hannah was napping. Usually, I didn't hang out with Mark often, but I hated to make Mark be by myself since something seemed wrong. Don't know why, but my brother radar was going off.

"Brad, can I talk to you? Since Mom and Dad aren't here?" Mark asked.

That didn't seem good, but I wasn't about to tell him no. I'd keep Mark's secrets (and Randy's) unless they were things that Mom and Dad needed to know. Most of the time, they weren't that serious so I didn't tell them. Brothers made oaths and oaths weren't meant to be broken.

"Sure, Mark. What's going on?" I laid back.

"Promise not to tell Mom and Dad?"

"I promise."

"Paul McGurn is bullying me at school. He's calling me dork and laughing at me for not being popular. He's punched me before too."

"That's not good. He's targeting you probably because Vinnie's targeting Randy. I wish Randy and I were at your school. When Mom and Dad get home, we'll tackle that problem head on with Randy too and we'll make them pay. That's what brothers do for each other."

"He also said that Hannah was uglier than sin. He said she was a moron."

My blood boiled. We needed to do something.

…

I walked with Brad and Randy towards the McGurns' house and I knew that they'd be really mad at us. Still, I wasn't afraid since I had my big brothers with me to protect me. No one liked to mess with me when Brad and Randy were around, but Vinnie and Paul were especially stupid.

"Well, well, if it isn't the shrimp and the dork? Is Brad your protection?" Vinnie laughed but Randy pushed me behind him.

"Don't move from behind us. If things get bad, run home and get Mom and Dad. Got it, Mark?" Randy looked at me.

I nodded and looked up at him. "Yeah."

"What are you tormenting my brother for? No one does that but us!" Brad punched him in the face.

"And what are you gonna do about it?" Vinnie smirked.

"This!" Randy punched him. "Stay away from our brother and sister! Got that?"

Vinnie groaned but walked off.

"Come to us whenever you have trouble," Randy smiled.

….


	17. Family is First (September 12, 1994)

I sat in class with Brad and was extremely bored in class since this was simple. It was just too easy that even Mark could do this. It seemed like Brad knew this too so that proved that all of us knew this. Everyone seemed bored, but Mrs. Green did not seem to care all that much.

"Brad, I'm extremely bored," I whispered. "How long until class is over?"

Brad looked at the clock. "About half an hour more. This sucks. I'd rather be helping Dad with the hot rod."

"I'd rather be babysitting Hannah or playing video games."

Brad's face broadened into a smile and it was one that was mischievous. It was one all Taylors knew and seemed to love. We were known for being troublesome, but Dad seemed to like that we were. We were never mean to anybody, but we played some pretty funny pranks."

"Brad, don't," I whispered and found a book but figured what the heck.

He made a spit wad and spit it at her which caused the class (and me) to burst out with laughter. Though Mom wouldn't have approved, I figured Dad would've liked it and found it funny.

"Do another one," I whispered.

Brad's face brightened at that and he did another one, landing on the chalkboard.

"Who keeps doing that?" Mrs. Green crossed her arms.

"Quick, put the straw away!" I whispered to Brad and saw her coming to him.

Brad scrambled to put the straw back in his backpack and I saw Beth smiling at me while sitting over by the new girl, Michelle. It made me so happy that I was with Beth in at least four classes. Dad encouraged me to ask her out and I had a plan to sometime after school today.

"Bradley," Mrs. Green frowned.

"Yes, Mrs. Green?" Brad imitated her voice.

"Quit throwing spit wads." Mrs. Green frowned.

"How do you know it was him?" I laughed and Brad looked up at her.

Being the sons of Tim Taylor, we knew how to get ourselves in and out of trouble. It was a talent that only a Taylor could do. We were known for being mischievous and Uncle Marty had taught us some tricks to do too. Believe me, though, Hannah probably would follow in our footsteps.

"Randy, hush," Brad looked at me angrily.

Brad and I shut up and I looked at Beth.

To me, Beth was the most beautiful girl in the world. She had long dirty blonde hair with brown eyes. Today, she had on a purple shirt with jeans. I had known her ever since last year when she moved here and Ashley introduced me. The first time we met, I fumbled, but I smoothed it out and found out that she liked me. Mom gave me some advice on how to talk to her.

"Hey Beth, you wanna come over to my house to study?" I whispered.

Beth grinned and nodded. "I'd love to, Randy. I'll ride the bus home with you and call my mom from there. She likes your mom so she'll say yes."

"Alright!" I smiled.

Brad high fived me. "Good job, man! You're lucky that Dad will be at the hardware store or he'd embarrass you."

I laughed but Mrs. Green wandered over and I shut my mouth, looking up at her with the eyes that Dad had. Brad whispered something and I snickered a little but kept my mouth shut while looking at her. I knew what Brad meant when he had said something about her.

"Randall, are you done talking?" Mrs. Green crossed her arms.

I looked at her with the Taylor grin and Brad did too.

"We'll promise to be quiet," Brad smiled.

"Are you Brad's brother?" Mrs. Green frowned.

I gave her a sarcastic look and crossed my arms, thinking about Hannah. If I got myself into too much trouble, I wouldn't be able to babysit her for a while. That worked really well to keep me out of trouble. I wiped the sarcastic look off and put a look that said I was sorry.

"Yes, I am. I'll be quiet now."

Mrs. Green nodded and went back to teaching.

….

"Guys, dinner," I yelled and put Hannah in her Bumbo.

I decided to let Hannah sit in her Bumbo on the table so that she could sit with us at dinner and it could truly be a family dinner. This was the first time that I was trying this so I was excited to see how it went. Until Hannah was big enough for a high chair, she'd sit in the Bumbo.

"Hey, baby," Tim kissed me and Hannah's head. "Hey, sweetheart."

Hannah cooed and babbled, making a waving motion towards Tim.

"Hey Dad!" Brad walked over and kissed Hannah's cheek. "Hey, Hannie."

Hannah babbled at Brad and squealed at seeing Randy.

"Do you see your bubby?" I chuckled.

Randy immediately spotted Hannah and ran over, rubbing her arm and reached to take her from me. She snuggled in his arms and seemed perfectly content. She loved all of us, but she had a tight bond with Randy. The two of them were two peas in a pod. It was adorable and the family loved it, especially Tim and me.

"Mom, can Hannah sit in her Bumbo on the table?" Randy asked curiously.

I nodded with a smile. "Randy, that's a great idea!"

Randy put Hannah in her Bumbo and I put plates at each place at the table. The boys sat down and so did Tim, with me having a hand on Hannah's Bumbo. Tim smiled at us and started eating.

"So, how was your guys' day, today?" Tim asked as I picked up Hannah and started nursing her while I ate.

I smiled at him and ate some food. "Mine was good. My boss is having a meeting with me on the 26th. I think I'm getting a promotion!"

"That's great, honey! Did you find any new articles to research?"

I shook my head. "No, it was not much of a busy day, but I did get paid too."

Brad looked at us with a smile. "Randy got to study with Beth today."

"That's right! Did you guys have fun?" I smiled.

Randy nodded with a smile. "She's really nice and fun to talk to!"

I laughed softly and smiled at them. It made me sad that my two oldest boys were already interested in dating and already (or almost) in their teen years. I only had four years until Mark was but thirteen until Hannah was. So, I had quite a bit until my youngest was so I was a bit happier. Mark was starting to not want to hang out with Tim and me anymore, so I only had Hannah soon.

"Brad, how was soccer practice?" I asked as I burped Hannah, rubbing her back.

"It was awesome Mom! I made four goals!" Brad smiled.

I smiled and kissed his head. "That's great, honey! Did you make more goals than that boy uh…Ryan?"

"His name's Ronald, but yes, I did."

"Aww! Good job," Tim smiled. "Mark, how was your day?"

Mark shrugged with a smile. "It's fine."

"Nothing else happened?"

Brad looked at him and they seemed to know something that we didn't. Randy did too and both seemed protective of him. It made me happy to know that Mark had his big brothers to defend him when someone was being mean to him.

"Well, at Tool Time, we had Bob Vila on the show and Al was a kiss-up," Tim groaned but I chuckled.

"Well, at least you get to come home to four great kids and an amazing wife," I smiled with a chuckle.


	18. Loving Mark (September 19, 1994)

I walked into the hardware store with Hannah in my arms and smiled at her reaction to everything. She was cooing and trying to reach for everything, which made me laugh. Babies loved to reach and bite on everything, but nothing here was suitable for that. Harry was very laid back and he had said he had something for her which made me happy. Ever since we moved in to this part of town, I had gone to Harry's Hardware and he was like family to me.

"Hey, Harry," I smiled. "Hannah, can you wave?"

Hannah babbled at Harry as I carried her on my hip.

"Hey, Tim," Harry went back to fiddling with something. "I see Jill loves to dress Hannah up."

Hannah was in a light pink dress with white polka dot sleeves and tights. She had black Mary Janes on and looked adorable. Jill had put a white bow in her hair and when she did, Hannah usually left them in.

"Oh yeah, it's one of Jill's favorite things about having a daughter. That and doing hairstyles along with dolls and tea parties."

Hannah babbled and chewed on one of her toys.

"Anyways, I have some toys for her. Delores gave me one to give to her too and I have the one that I bought for her. Here I'll go get them," Harry walked to the back of the building.

Al smiled at Hannah and tickled her toes. "She's so cute! Do you make things easy on your mommy and daddy?"

I laughed and nodded at him. "Usually, but she's becoming mobile now."

"Why's that bad?"

I laughed and remembered that he didn't have kids. People who didn't have kids didn't understand why it was so bad that kids became mobile. Well, it wasn't totally bad (they were a lot of fun), but they were harder to keep up with. Jill loved to play with them and so did I. Al loved Hannah and found her to be really cute. That made Jill and I extremely happy.

"It's not totally bad. They're just harder to keep up with, but it's fun. You can chase after them and play more with them," I told with a smile.

Al chuckled as Harry walked out with a bag that made Hannah light up with joy. It was fun to see Hannah's expression towards things and seeing how she reacted. She loved dropping stuff and seeing Jill or I pick it back up and put it back. She made things fun and I couldn't wait to start things over again. To experience first steps, first word, potty training (blech) and more.

I reached in and found a toolbox that was for babies. It was soft and plush, something that all babies loved.

"Aww, Hannah, do you see what Harry got you? He got you a toolbox! Thanks, Harry!" I grinned. "Let's see what Delores got you."

I pulled out a box with blocks in it. "Aww, did you get more blocks to play with?"

Hannah babbled happily and put one of the toy tools in her mouth. She was at the age where she put everything in her mouth.

"She seems to like it," Al smiled.

"Babies put everything in their mouths, Al," I chuckled. "Since it's a toy, I'm not concerned and yes, she does love it."

"Our son was that way," Harry laughed. "Delores advised me to get ones that can be put in her mouth with no harm done."

I laughed and nodded. "She has a few months until she crawls."

"Oh, I remember that. Babies are a lot more fun that way."

I laughed again. "It'll be fun to experience raising a girl."

"You should still teach her about cars and tools," Harry told with a grin.

I grinned eagerly. "Oh, you bet I will."

I loved my baby girl more than anyone aside from my wife and son.

…..

I walked in the room and smiled at what I saw. The boys were playing with Hannah and she was thoroughly enjoying it. Sitting in her Bumbo, I saw Hannah sitting there with the boys sitting in front of her. This was something that the boys agreed on which was a rare occurrence. I loved when the boys would play together and now, I loved when all four played together.

"Where's Bubby? Where's Bubby? Peek-a-boo! I see you!" Randy played.

Hannah laughed and laughed, with Brad covering his eyes.

"Where's Bubba? Where's Bubba? Peek-a-boo!" Brad laughed and I walked over with a smile, sitting on the couch.

Hannah cooed happily, recognizing that I was here. She reached toward me and I picked her up, holding her and kissing her cheek.

"Is Hannah happy to see Mommy?" I asked as I tickled her chin.

She laughed and Randy bounded over to me and sat by me. Lately, he had been distant towards me, but that was usually in public. He didn't mind spending time with me in private, but in the mall, that was different. Still, he didn't care who saw him babysitting Hannah. Girls seemed to flock towards him and Brad because they were and I didn't like him using girls that way, but it was rare that he did that.

"What are you chewing on?" I took it out of her mouth. "Mark. Don't leave your toys out where Hannah can get them. She puts things in her mouth now."

Mark took the toy and wiped it off. "Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Hannie!"

Hannah gurgled something that said, "I forgive you, Mark."

"It's okay, honey. I'm just telling you for the future. Some of your toys could easily choke her and we don't want that."

Randy nodded and put his arm around Mark. Clearly, Randy understood what it was like not to be the youngest anymore. It brought the two boys closer together and that made me happy.

"Hey Mark, do you wanna play with Hannah?" I asked

Mark nodded and held out his arms. I put Hannah in his arms and she cooed curiously at him, staring at me. It was amazing how even Mark had a special place for Hannah in his heart as a big brother. He had little to no jealousy and that was because Brad and Randy helped some.

"Sorry, I'm kinda boring Hannah," Mark laughed.

Hannah gurgled and cooed.

"You know, Hannah, I love you. I love being a big brother and getting to play with you and making you laugh."

Hannah laughed and I smiled at the two youngest.

….

I walked over to Mark who was sitting on his bed sadly and hugging his legs. While I usually tormented Mark, I still felt bad that he was nearly crying. When it wasn't Brad or me doing the tormenting, I was boiling with rage at whoever did it. Nobody but Brad or I were allowed to bully Mark. Whoever did was in a whole heap of trouble and they knew it.

"Mark, what's the matter? You're crying," I looked at him.

Mark heaved a sigh. "You'll tell Mom and Dad."

"No, bud, I won't. I'll only tell Brad and that's it, okay?"

Mark sighed and looked at me with the saddest eyes that I'd ever seen. I knew that Hannah would give the same eyes someday and it made me mad. No one was allowed to hurt my brothers and sister without protest from me. Once I told Brad, he and I would do something about it.

"There's this boy at school who won't let me play with my friend at recess. He's really mean to me. He teases me because I have no friends," Mark told. "The one I do have he takes away from me."

I looked at him. "Does your friend ever try to stand up and tell him no?"

Mark shook his head. "No, he goes to him willingly. I'm beginning to think he's not a real friend at all."

I looked at him and rubbed his back. "Mark, people who do that are not your friends, even if they seem like it. You always have a friend in Brad and me and you can always come hang out with us."

Mark nodded at me. "Don't tell Mom or Dad this but I punched him in the house.

"You punched him? Why?" I looked at him.

"I thought you'd be happy," Mark frowned.

"Punching somebody is wrong, Mark."

Mark sighed and looked up at me with sad eyes again. "So what do we do?"

"Brad and I will handle it, Mark."


	19. Back Up Again (September 26, 1994)

I stormed in the house and didn't notice something fall from the garage. To be honest, I wanted to scream, but I knew there was a baby in the house. Screaming tended to scare babies so I resorted to storming in and grumbling. Basically, I was trying to contain my anger since the boys and Hannah were present. Still, I had a right to be angry.

They took away my job but claimed it was for budget cuts. If it was that, why weren't more people fired? Why was it just me? That question ran over and over in my mind as I walked in.

The people who I loved most were in here aside from Randy and Hannah. My husband of sixteen years and two of my kids that had my heart. Somehow, them just being there made things better. Not a lot better, but it improved my mood since they were affectionate.

"Well hi! Good day at work?" Tim asked.

I gave a hard glare and Brad looked curiously. Mark was pretending not to listen.

"Tim! I feel like I'm about to explode."

"Don't do it in here, we just waxed," Tim told and I glared darker at him.

Randy was upstairs with Hannah, so I was glad she couldn't hear this.

"Remember how I told you I had a meeting with my boss today? I was expecting a raise and a promotion? She laid me off?"

"What?" Tim seemed shocked.

Storming in, I stomped towards the trashcan in the kitchen, my face red with anger. Though I was angry, I also felt like crying. What was I supposed to do now? I knew that I could stay at home, but I wanted to do more than stay at home. I wanted to show Hannah that women weren't forced to be at home. There's options. That made me a little better.

"I got a two weeks severance pay and a farewell cake! Like a cake is going to make me feel better!"

I walked in angrily and Tim, Brad and Mark ran after me eagerly.

"Did you bring the cake home?" Brad asked eagerly.

"Did it have nuts on it?" Tim added as I gave a dark glare.

"For your information, it was a triple chocolate fudge and I was so depressed that I polished it off on the way home!" I chucked the plate away. "I need a little sensitivity and a Thigh Master."

"You came to home of sensitivity, right guys?" Timasked.

"Will this affect my allowance?" Brad asked hesitantly.

"It will now," I looked at him.

The boys walked off and Tim hugged me. "What happened? Business bad there?"

I shook my head and looked at him sadly. "They only laid off me. They didn't lay off Becky."

"The pretty one?"

"Yeah, the pretty one. The one with the Harvard degree and PH double D's," I looked at Tim sadly.

"Jill, I'm sorry about your job. I know how much your job meant to you. You want a shoulder to cry on? Pick one."

I buried my face in Tim's left shoulder and started bawling my eyes out. My tears made his shirt wet, but Tim didn't seem to mind. In fact, he seemed sad about it himself which made me sad. I hated being seeing him sad, but I was sad myself so I seemed to have been making him sad.

"Two years of my life. The writers, the editors, they all said they liked me the best. I had the best desk."

"Yeah, yeah," Tim reached for the phone.

"Tim! I was talking to you," I groaned.

"Hey Deke," Tim smiled. "Yes! Well, all right. Call me any time day or night. Thank you, buddy! Thanks! Bye!" He hung up. "Great news! Deke thinks he might know a guy who knows a guy who could get me my hood ornament."

"Great," I rolled my eyes. "Maybe Deke knows a guy who knows a guy who could get me a job."

….

"Hi, hon, I'm glad you're home," Jill told with a smile as I walked in.

I was over the moon excited to see my wife and my four kids. Today had been a busy and kind of lousy day since Al had been teasing me all day long. What I wanted was to spend some time with my family. I also wanted to spend some time in the garage with Hannah. My baby girl made everything better.

"You seem to be in a better mood," I smiled and kissed her.

"Oh yeah, I had a great day!"

"What'd you do? Sit in bed all day, stuff your face and talk to your girlfriends?"

"Is that what you think my idea of a great day is?"

I laughed and blinked. "Sorry, that's my idea of a great day."

It was fun to tease Jill, but if anyone else did, I got angry. No one was allowed to tease Jill without hearing something from the Tool Man. It was a given that I would protect my wife since I loved her. I loved her more than anyone.

"Wait till you hear what I'm thinking about doing. I wanna go back to college," Jill smiled at me.

"Are you staying here or at the dorm?"

"I'm thinking about getting my master's in psychology. I'd have to take some undergrad courses, but what do you think?"

Why would she want a master's? I thought she wanted to be a journalist. A master's took about eight years so the kids would be in college when Jill was too. It just didn't make any sense to me. While I usually supported my wife, I just didn't like that thought of not always seeing my wife. I also didn't know if that would work out for her.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'm serious."

"Jill, a master's degree would take forever."

I would be 47, Jill would be 45, Brad would be 21, Randy would be 20, Mark would be 17, and Hannah would be 8.

"That's okay. I like school."

"Do you remember school? Homework, detention, making you sit in the corner?"

"Tim, they don't do that in college."

"How much does this cost?"

"How much did your hotrod cost?"

"Cost is not the issue here."

"I thought you wanted to do journalism. Don't you like being a researcher?"

"I did, but now I want to move in a new direction. I'm going through a major life change. Do you remember when you quit being a salesman to do Tool Time? It was very important to you and I was very supportive? Do you remember that?"

"I'd support you if you did something that made sense."

"Why don't you just go to a trade school?"

"Trade school?"

"Six months and you could be a turret lathe operator."

"I don't want to be a turret lathe operator. I don't even know what that is.

"That's why you go to the school! Arc welder?"

"Are you insane?"

"Diesel bus repair."

"I was excited about this. I'm trying to have a mature conversation and all you can do is make jokes about it. Why don't you just tell me to go to clown college?"

"They'd never take you. You're not funny enough and your feet are too small."

Jill flung some potatoes at me and I walked off, knowing to go away since she was extremely angry with me.

….

I sat in the audience with Hannah on my lap and played with her hands while waiting for Heidi to start the show. Shortly before the school year began, I asked Dad if I could come help with Hannah after school and he said yes. Both he and Mom agreed that Dad could use the help especially since she's mobile.

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as I sat up and handed Hannah a plush toy tool and she chewed on it.

"Tool Time!" We yelled and Hannah looked up.

"That's right. Binford Tools is proud to present…Tim the Tool Man Taylor!"

"Welcome to drywall week here on Tool Time! I'm Tim the Tool Man Taylor and this is my assistant Al Plump Al Stiltskin!"

I waved Hannah's hand and she laughed happily, seeing Dad walk towards us. At her age, babies loved seeing their parents and I found it cute. I didn't really care either way, but I'd play like I was so that I could please Hannah. Anyways, Dad walked toward us and Hannah babbled.

"Ah ga-ga. Na-da," Hannah babbled and reached towards him.

"Here's my son and my daughter here again. Hi princess," Dad kissed her head and walked back upstage.

"I'm wearing these stilts to show a handy way to put on drywall ceiling panels."

"After that, Al's gonna juggle and balance a big rubber ball on his nose."

I laughed and played with Hannah's hands, pointing to where Dad was. Hannah's eyes kept following Dad and she babbled, thinking he could hear her. It was okay though, she was happy so I was happy. As long as she wasn't complaining or getting herself hurt (or being rude), I was happy.

"We'll be working with a ten foot ceiling today so I have my stilts set to 36 inches. They're adjustable to over 48 inches."

"The stilts or your belt?"

"The advantage if drywalling is they do give you height plus mobility. These weigh 60 pounds each. I recommend having a good heper."

Hannah laughed at seeing Dad make a funny face.

"Now, if you don't happen to have a dry wall panel like this one here, you can use these T-lifts called dead-men."

"This is all well and good if you want to do it on a ten-foot ceiling but let's say you wanna do a remodel on the Sistine Chapel."

"I don't think you'd be their first choice as contractor," Al snorted with laughter.

Hannah didn't seem to find it very funny but I knew it was because she sensed that Dad was being made fun of.

"Stick with me here. Guys, raise this up to the Sistine Chapel level. Let's say you want to smooth out those chubby cherubs with some wallboard but the stilts only go up to 48 inches. That's why l use these. My pneumatic drywall stilts, please."

Heidi fetched the pneumatic stilts and I laughed softly, kissing Hannah's head.

"Pneumatic drywall stilts?" Al laughed.

"Is there an echo in the building?"

"How high can they go?"

"The sky's the limit. Want to go up, press this lever. Wanna go down, press the lever down."

Dad jerked it up and got his head stuck through the wall.

…

"Jill. Don't expect me to help you with your homework." Tim told as I turned around.

"What?" I looked at him.

"When you go back to study psychology."

"Wait. You're okay with that?"

"lf your dream is to work with nuts, you should go back to the world of macadamia. You wanna go back and get your master's, l totally support it."

I laughed softly and hugged him, trying to keep quiet so that Hannah would stay asleep since she was finally on a schedule and sleeping through the night. That was something that all parents now."

"You realize, with me studying and being in school, that things are gonna change a little bit around here."

"I'm so excited about going back to school! l get to buy a new three-ring binder and knee-socks."

"I never told you this, but at school, l always thought you were out of my league.

I was. And l guess l was worried that you'd find a new group of brainiacs to hang out with. Well, maybe you'll come home to me, I'll be kinda boring."

"It's never boring coming home to you, Tim."

"Let me ask you a question. Have you ever wished that you'd married somebody as smart as you?"

"You think l'm smarter than you?"

"Yeah."

"That just proves how smart you are."

"You didn't answer the question."

"Do l ever wish that l married somebody else? Why would l wanna marry anybody else? You're funny, you're sexy, creative, you take chances, and you're definitely not afraid to be wrong. I'm perfectly happy being married to a man who thinks that PBS is something that women get once a month."


	20. Don't Tell Momma (October 2, 1994)

"Today, we're talking about cranes," Dad told with a smile as I played with Hannah's hand and kissed her head.

"A subject near and dear to my heart," Al smiled.

"Al's kind of a crane nut."

"Yes, Tim, I am," Al chuckled. "After my stint in the Navy, I spent a year as a crane operator. I lifted some mighty heavy loads in my day."

I laughed at a dirty meaning of it but distracted myself by playing with Hannah. It wasn't time for her to eat yet, but Mom had bottles packed just in case. I usually had to go change her in the bathroom. Heidi was often nice enough to offer to help by changing her in the women's room if I was tired.

"Naptime now, Hannah," I whispered as I started rocking her. She was slowly starting to fall asleep. She had been having stranger danger and only wanted Dad, Mom, Brad, Mark or me.

"You make this so easy," Dad shook his head.

I laughed and Al wandered to where his cranes were. "As a youngster, I used to build model cranes and I had quite an eclectic collection. I'm especially proud of my first crane." Al removed Dad's hand and I laughed. "It's made entirely out of popsicle sticks."

Dad mouthed, "Wow" and I laughed as he saw me with Hannah and smiled.

"Enough said, Al. Anyways, tomorrow on a live edition of Tool Time, we're gonna show you the operation of a 25-ton hydraulic crane."

I grinned but knew I wouldn't be allowed since it was too dangerous. Mom would say no and I'd be needed at home to babysit Hannah. I wasn't about to let Hannah go if even I couldn't go. Besides, Mom wouldn't let Hannah go either so we just had to watch from home.

"That's right. We're gonna teach you the keys of using a crane. It takes teamwork using hand signals."

"I can demonstrate that right here using these models," Dad told. "Now, the crane operator sits inside the cockpit here. Now, the signalman is over by the Porta Potti. That'll be you. You go over there."

"Let's see just how well non-verbal communication can work."

I laughed softly and rocked Hannah, kissing her head and letting her stay asleep so that she could nap while we were here. On the way home, she'd probably wake up since feeding time was close too. Anyways, Dad started imitating an engine and I watched closely and curiously.

"Tim. What do you do when I do this?" Al knocked on his hat.

Hannah stayed asleep which I had expected. She was used to noise at home too.

"You yell, 'Come on it!'" Dad joked around.

"No, that means to use the main hoist!" Al yelled.

"Yeah, yeah," Dad played with one of the cranes and I looked at Hannah.

"What does it mean when I do this?" Al did something with his fingers.

"Let's party, ow!"

Dad did some stupid dance move and I felt extremely embarrassed right now. I loved my dad, I really did, but right now he was as embarrassing as Mom. I half wished that Hannah would cry for him so that he could pick her up. That was mean of me, but oh well.

"No! It means to hoist the main load! Didn't you study the manual at all?"

I laughed at the thought of Dad studying something other than a book about tools. Dad was never much of a reader, unlike Mom and me. He and Brad preferred using their hands and fixing cars. They were more "boys" while I was into different things which was okay.

"A real man doesn't need a manual," Dad fidgeted with one of the cranes.

"If you're so smart, show me the hand signals for swinging the crane," Al demanded.

"Hello, boom," Dad accidentally broke Al's first crane. "Sorry, Al. I guess that's it for the hand signals."

"Actually Tim, I do have another hand signal for you, but it's not in the manual."

I laughed and held Hannah close. "Is Daddy in trouble?"

….

"Jill, do you realize there's mud on your license plate holder?" Tim asked as I was trying to nurse Hannah and work on homework at the same time.

"Stay away from my car," I whined and rubbed Hannah's head.

Whenever Tim messed with my car, it was bad news. He either wanted to improve it or drive it himself which I didn't like either idea. It was the only car with room enough for all six of us, but if needed, we could get a spare. Still, I preferred that Tim not mess with my car in the first place. I finished nursing her and started burping her over my shoulder.

"What's this weird mark on the door?" Tim asked as I set Hannah in her Bumbo.

"What mark?" I worked on homework and made sure Hannah's Bumbo was away from the edge of the table.

"It looks like a scratch someone tried to cover up."

"Oh that. I got a scratched on the door and I touched it up."

"Touched it up with what?"

"Touch-up stuff," I answered as Tim kissed Hannah's head.

"What kind of touch up stuff?" Tim asked as I moved Hannah to her playpen so she wouldn't hear us fight.

"Nail polish."

"Nail polish? Are you trying to kill me?"

Hannah was playing with her toys and I was thankful she wasn't listening to us. She didn't need to be hearing this, but right now, she couldn't move herself. This was something that she probably wouldn't find interesting anyways. Aside from the fact that she was seeing Mommy and Daddy.

"Come on, Tim. It matched perfectly. Red passion delight."

"What are you using for a dipstick? Your lipstick?"

"Tim, it was a teeny tiny scratch on the door. Someone nicked me while I was at the grocery store."

I walked over to the counter and smiled at Hannah when she peered at me.

"Didn't you park where no one else could park next to you? Row 3 slot 12?"

"I am so sorry. I lost that book you made me, Guide to Parking Spaces in Lower Michigan."

"Where are your keys?"

"What for?"

"After my Tool Time location show, I'll take it to my body shop guy."

"No, it's my car, I don't want you touching it. Get your hands off my purse!"

Hannah looked over at me and Tim dropped the purse. After realizing nothing was wrong, she went back to playing and I was relieved. We didn't like having our kids hear us fight, but sometimes it was unavoidable. Since Hannah wasn't able to move herself, she'd have to hear. Until about a year old or two, she wouldn't be able to move herself.

"Just use the Mustang."

"Tim, I'm fine with the car the way it is! Just leave my car alone," I told as I brought my coffee over.

"You know what'll happen. That scratch is gonna rust. It's gonna eat away at the car which will in turn eat away at me, leaving me a sad worthless man. My car is wearing makeup," Tim leaned on my shoulder but I shrugged him away. "My car is wearing makeup."

"Just take the keys! Pick me up some green eye shadow. I noticed a nick on your lawn mower and I wanna touch it up."

Tim left and I picked up Hannah, cuddling her close. I felt bad for fighting in front of her, but sometimes, it couldn't be helped. Whenever we fought, I hated it and I hated it more when the kids saw it. I cuddled her close and kissed her head, my heart breaking that I couldn't stay home with her.

"Mommy loves you, honey," I kissed her head.

…

"Tim, this our job site foreman, Scotty," Al told as I walked with him.

My mind was elsewhere, mostly thinking about Hannah. I was relieved that she hadn't heard us fight, but I still wanted to scoop her up and cuddle her. I wanted to make her laugh and to go home with the car all fixed up to surprise with Jill. Nothing made me happier than a happy wife and daughter.

"Nice to meet you Scotty," I shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Tim. I watch your show every day."

"Do I get to operate this baby?"

"No, like I said, I watch your show every day."

Al snorted with laughter and I glared at him angrily but thought of Hannah.

"Hi and welcome to a live edition of Tool Time! We're gonna show you the operation of a 25-ton hydraulic truck crane!"

"We will be using this to move a 3-ton beam using a brace called a kicker."

"So you could call this a kicker-picker upper?"

"I don't think so, Tim," Al told. "Why don't I hop in the cab and we can get things started?"

"Before you do that, let me show the viewers some of the controls," I told. "Marv, as long as you're up here, look at these controls. This lever here swings the entire crane back and forth, right, Al?"

"That's right, Tim, but don't touch it. Get out of the cab and I will raise the beam."

"Since I'm in the beam, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't raise the beam."

"I can think of about 300."

"This is the lever to raise the beam, right?"

"Yes, but don't—Tim! Marv, watch out!"

"I'm beaming up, Scotty!"

"Okay, Al, now what?"

"Now hit the foot brake and lock it in place. Get out of the cab. Tim's getting out of the cab and I will move the beam right into place. Careful you don't hit the brake release when you get out."

"This is the lever that would swing the beam?"

"Tim, your foot! Don't hit the brake release!"

"What?"

I accidentally hit the brake and it dropped right onto the car. It did a good amount of damage that would take months of fixing. This was something that I couldn't hide from Jill for very long. I knew she would get extremely mad at me and since I did this on live TV, she probably saw the whole thing. I was toast and I had to hide this somehow from her.

….

I walked downstairs with Randy and saw that Hannah was awake and playing in her playpen. Since I had no soccer practice until four, I was here with Randy and Hannah until it came time for Mom or Dad to take me there. Mom was upstairs studying so she asked me and Randy to take care of Hannah. It didn't bother me. In fact, it was fun to watch her.

"Hey, Hannah," I squatted down. "Are you excited for Daddy to come home?"

She babbled and Randy laughed. "I think I hear Daddy now."

Hannah babbled and Dad walked in as we tickled Hannah's cheeks and made her laugh with glee.

"Where's your mom?" Dad asked as Hannah babbled and Dad picked her up. "Hey, princess, did you miss Daddy?"

I looked up at him. "She's upstairs studying."

Dad held her on his hip and followed us, with one hand holding Hannah and the other grabbing a bottle.

"Do you think she saw Tool Time?" Dad asked as we followed him.

"No, I don't think, so," Randy grinned.

"But we did," I smirked as Dad shifted Hannah and fed the bottle to her.

Dad gave a wince and I knew if we told him what happened, we could make a deal. If we didn't tell Mom about the car, then he wouldn't tell about us getting kicked off the bus. This would be a heck of a deal and Randy had told me that we could milk this thing for a while. Though we didn't say anything, I knew that we could tell Mom and Dad would be in trouble.

"You guys didn't tell her, did you?" Dad asked as he started to burp Hannah.

"No, we thought it'd be more fun to watch you tell her," Randy and I smirked as Hannah spit up.

"Well, you might have to wait cause I'm not gonna tell her for awhile."

"I dunno. Mom's pretty smart. As the weeks go by, she's gonna see that she doesn't have a car," I added.

Hannah spit up on Dad's shirt and I snickered a little at it. Now, his shirt was dirty and he had to change it, but Hannah couldn't help it. Looking down, Dad looked and chuckled at Hannah, wiping off her mouth and walking towards us. Randy laughed too and made a silly face at Hannah.

"When she does, you'll have to tell her you totaled it."

"It's a classic. You don't really total a classic. I can rebuild it from the existing parts, but I have to find a way to figure out how to tell Mom. Until then, I don't think we should tell her."

"Okay, then we don't have to tell her we got kicked off the bus today," Randy laughed and I high fived him.

"Whoa, whoa, what do you mean you got kicked off the bus?"

We walked out and Dad followed after us with a gentle hand on Hannah and gave a confused look at us. Hannah laughed and chewed on a toy as Dad watched us and gave us a stern glare. Dad walked toward us with a stern look and Randy seemed focused on Hannah.

"Well, let's just say there was an unfortunate incident involving some glue and Vinnie McGurn's butt crack," I laughed.

"As of 3:00, he's closed for business," Randy told and Hannah laughed.

"Guys, as much as I appreciate a practical joke, and this was a good one. This has been bugging your mom and I. I've gotta tell her," Dad looked at us.

"Okay, then I guess we've got to tell her what we saw on Tool Time."

"I'm not making a deal here!"

"Well, here comes Mom."

"Ugh, deal!"

…

"Hi, I'm Jill Taylor," I walked in and saw the body shop guy. "My husband brought my station wagon here and I need to get a book out of it."

It was somebody that Tim hung around with a lot, but someone that I didn't recognize very well. He didn't stop by the house a lot like Harry or Al and didn't stop by to see the boys either. Anyways, I went to see if my book was in the car.

"Oh yes. We'll be putting in a lot of overtime on your job," Eddie told.

"Overtime? For that little thing?"

"I'd like to see what you consider a big thing."

 _What's he talking about? It's just a little scratch on the car._

"How long do you think this will take?"

"Best case scenario? A year."

"Can I just see my car?"

"Sure, it's right through there," Eddie got up and led me to the car.

With a sigh, I followed and a sinking feeling was falling in my stomach. Nothing could've prepared me for what I was about to see. I saw my car just flattened and looking like a giant hot dog bun. The windows were smashed, the roof was dented and it all looked like a mess. I'd need to buy a new car seat too.

"My car. My car!" I looked at it and grabbed my book.

"Eddie! Eddie. Eddie. The kids called and said my wife was looking for a book. I gotta get this book. If she sees me, she's gonna kill me. I gotta get that book."

"You mean this book?" I held it up and gave a questioning glare. "How did you do this to my car?"

"You said she parked it under a beam and a three ton beam fell on it," Eddie told.

I looked away from Tim and was trying to contain my anger. Since there were no kids here, I didn't need to control it as much to my relief. When I got home, I could talk to the kids and things could be at least some better. Part of me half expected that something like this would happen.

"Okay, let me get this straight. First, you give me a hard time because I got a teeny tiny scratch on the bottom of the door. Then you let somebody drop a beam on it? Not only do you not tell me about any of this! You tell people it was my fault!"

"It could've been your fault!"

"What?"

"Maybe the scratch weakened the entire surface of the car."

"That is such a crock."

"This could've happened to anybody."

"Anybody who parked under a crane. What kind of an operator drops a three ton beam anyway? We should just sue that jerk for all he's worth."

"You don't wanna do that. You married him."

"You did this? You mean we gotta pay for this? Why couldn't you just leave my car alone? This is just a hunk of metal used to haul kids to soccer practice."

"This is not a hunk of metal!"

….

"I would rather wait for the Nomad to be fixed," I smiled at Tim.

"I thought it was just a hunk of metal that you didn't like."

"I didn't mean it when I said that. I love the Nomad. I love it when the car guys rev their engines and stop up by me."

"Then I rev my engine and waste em on the line."


	21. Brothers Help Out (October 9, 1994)

"Come on, Mark! Let's go!" I told as I put Hannah in the stroller and strapped her in, handing her a bottle and making sure she had a sweater on and waited impatiently for Mark.

Today, Brad and I were taking Mark and Hannah to McDonald's so that Mom could get a break from having kids around. While I did that, Dad was busy at the hardware store. So, that left Brad and me to babysit them and I was all too happy to babysit them. I wanted to hear what was going on in Mark's life (if Paul was still bullying him) and to play with Hannah,

"I'm coming. I'm coming," Mark came down and I handed him his jacket, making sure I had the money that Mom gave me for McDonalds.

Going to McDonald's wasn't the highlight of my day, but since it was for Mom, I decided that it wouldn't hurt me to do this. It'd give her time alone and it'd show her how responsible we were.

Hannah babbled and shook the bottle, babbling happily and feeding herself. For a couple days now, Hannah could feed herself which meant she sits in a high chair. According to Mom, she'd eat baby food in about a month

"Do you like your bottle, Hannah? Is Mommy's milk good?" I asked as I pushed the stroller and Hannah babbled.

Hannah babbled happily and I pushed the stroller, having Mark walk with me on the side that wasn't by the cars. Nobody was allowed to hurt my brother and I had a surge of protection running through me. While I knew nothing would happen, I still was pretty concerned.

"Randy, what if we see Vinnie and Paul there?" Mark asked.

It was quite often that Vinnie and Paul would try something when Mom and or Dad weren't around, but with Brad here, they likely wouldn't. It helped to have a brother that was big and strong to help us when we needed it. I thought of Brad as my best friend and he thought of me as one.

"What if we do? You guys are safe with us here, okay? Nothing's gonna happen and if it does, you know what to do," Brad smiled.

I nodded. "Just know that Brad and I won't let anybody hurt you."

"What do we do if he does?" Mark whimpered.

"Run as fast as you can. Do whatever you can to get yourself and Hannah to safety back home and to alert Mom and Dad. That won't be necessary, Mark."

"Randy?"

"Hmm?"

I looked at him and pushed the stroller with Hannah chewing on her toys happily. I kept smelling for a dirty diaper, but I didn't smell one, so I wasn't too concerned. When we got ourselves sat down, I could feed Hannah while Mark fed himself and I could eat between bites since Hannah could feed herself now.

"Do you think that I'm a dork?"

I looked at him with a laugh. "Mark, you know my answer. I'm your brother. Of course I think you're a dork. Sometimes, even Brad's a dork."

Brad gave a look but nodded at me. "Yeah, you're a dork, but that's just because I'm your brother and I don't sugar coat things."

"I mean seriously, Randy."

I sighed and looked at him. "No, Mark, you're not a dork. And if they can't see that, then that's their loss."

Hannah babbled at Mark and I laughed softly. "Well, we're here, guys. I can take care of Hannah if you take care of finding a seat and ordering food. I'd like a chicken salad. Mark, what do you want?"

Mark grinned up at us. "I'll have chicken nuggets with fries."

Brad nodded and looked at us. "Alright. The high chairs are by the wall and there's a booth right by the window."

I beckoned for Mark to follow me and I grabbed the high chair, putting it at the end of the booth for Hannah. Mark sat down and I strapped Hannah in the highchair.

Hannah babbled and pointed to the car that drove by, squealing happily and I laughed, putting a finger to my lips.

"Yes, Hannie, that's a car," I laughed.

She kept babbling and I put the bib around her, waiting for Brad to get back. There were some older women looking at us as if we were bonkers, but I didn't care at that point since I wanted my food. If they wanted to stare, let them stare. I wasn't about to change my life because two stupid women didn't like it.

Brad laughed and put the food down. "Hannah, are you silly? Are you silly?"

Hannah babbled and I laughed, handing Mark his food and making sure that I had my chicken salad. I handed Hannah the bottle and she started to eat. While we ate, I felt protective of my brothers and sister. No one was about to lay a harming hand on my siblings without protest from me. I was never one to let someone get away with hurting them and neither would Brad.

"Guys, I did bad on a test," Mark frowned. "I'm dead."

"Did you not study?" Brad asked as I burped Hannah.

I wiped off her mouth and put her in the seat again. "Yeah, you usually do good, Mark, what's going on?"

Mark frowned. "You guys can't tell Mom and Dad."

"We won't, Mark. It'll be a brother secret," I told and put Hannah on my lap, letting her play with one of her toys.

"Yeah, Mark, we won't tell. What's going on?"

I looked at him and felt really bad. If Mark (who was usually a great student), was failing a test, then something was very wrong. Though we promised not to tell Mom and Dad, I was worried. We had to do something otherwise the situation will just get worse for him.

"Fine, I'll tell you…"

…

The boys walked in and I took Hannah gently while Mark was playing with his brothers.

"Hey, buddy," I smiled at him.

"Hey, Mom."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," He lied but I was suspicious.

((Sorry for a sloppy update! Longer update coming soon!))


	22. Tim Turns 40 (October 16, 1994

"What do you think of Dad's birthday present?" I asked as I used the wrench to put on the tool man we were making for Dad.

It was just Randy, Mark and me outside since Mom was feeding Hannah. She had bought cans of baby food and it smelled disgusting. I joked that I felt bad for her and Mom did too, but it was how she ate. Soon, she'd eat solid food and she'd be a big girl just like the rest of us. Dad was at Tool Time, Mom had Hannah and we were working at Wilson's on Dad's present.

"That's very impressive—a man made out of tools. I see you boys have inherited your father's mechanical ability," Wilson commented as an arm dropped. "Yes, indeedy."

Mom popped up, holding Hannah up so that she could watch us work. She babbled and chewed on her hand, squealing happily at us. She looked adorable, but I was biased because I was her big brother. Still, everyone commented on how adorable she was and it was true. She looked just like Mom.

"Hey, guys. Wow, Tin man Tim's really starting to look like Dad, isn't he, Hannah?"

Hannah babbled happily and squealed happily. That baby could charm just about anybody and it was for sure working on me.

"He's even got a stomach full of beer and corn nuts," Randy opened the tin man and revealed them with Hannah laughing. "Is that funny, Sissy?" Randy took her from Mom and laughed when she cooed.

"Look what we used for the nose. Needle nose pliers," Mark showed.

Randy was distracted by playing with Hannah and I didn't blame him. All day, he had wanted to play with her and now, he could. It's how he usually got himself to behave and Mom and Dad were happy. If he was behaved, then Mom and Dad were fine plus I was there to protect him. No one would lay a hurting hand on him without hearing some fuss from me.

"Sissy! I missed you," Randy nuzzled his nose into hers and she babbled, reaching to be cuddled.

"What's that steel wool supposed to be?" Mom asked as Randy held Hannah and played with her, laughing happily.

"That's his chest hair," I answered.

"Save some for his back," Mom told as we laughed.

Dad walked out and we covered up the tin man with Mom taking Hannah so Dad could see and talk to her. It didn't bother Randy since it was Mom doing it. Others didn't get such a sweet reaction from Randy, he got pretty angry. Nobody was allowed to hurt Hannah.

"Hi, princess. Did you miss Daddy?" Dad kissed her head and took her from Mom, rubbing her arm and making funny faces. "What are you guys doing? Making a birthday gift for your handsomely, talented, studly father?"

"No, they're making one for you."

I laughed and we went back to work on the project.

"This is gonna be the best birthday gift for Dad ever," Mark grinned.

I smirked. "Oh yeah, and we'll be the best sons ever."

"It's from Hannah too, Brad."

"The best Taylor kids," Brad smirked.

….

I pushed Tim in, but not too hard since he was holding Hannah. Since he had a strong (yet gentle) grip on Hannah, I wasn't worried. He'd never drop her since he knows what babies can go through if you do that. Tim was a devoted dad to his daughter and I couldn't wait for him to be a dance dad.

"l got the whole birthday mapped out. Then you fix me the thickest, juiciest steak you can find, baked potato, lots of butter, sour cream, season it with a little salt. When the little velociraptors go to bed, you and l retreat to our private love nest."

"Oh no," I groaned as Tim laughed, making Hannah laugh. She grabbed his finger and started gumming on it. "Not the garage again."

"I made it better this year. 9 shellacked the workbench. You shellacked the workbench last year and it didn't dry in time. That's why you weren't moving."

Tim, you are almost 40. Isn't it time for you to celebrate a birthday in a bed?"

"I may be reaching the big 4-0, but I have the strength of a man half my age.

Does this feel like the body of a 20-year-old? Stop. Don't. Yeah."

"A 20-year-old who's deluded," I laughed and tickled Hannah's chin.

Hannah laughed and kicked her feet in delight.

I laughed and picked her up, taking her gently from Tim and let her cuddle into my shoulder, yawning tiredly.

"Aww is my baby tired?" I stroked her head and rocked her.

"You're just jealous that men age better than women," Tim smirked and I put sleeping Hannah in her playpen.

"Oh, really? Then how come ever since I went back to school, these young college guys have been hanging around me?

"I don't know. Maybe they're away from home for the first time and miss their mommies."

…

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as I played with Hannah's hands and rock her to sleep.

"Tool Time!" The audience yelled.

"Today, those mini-mechanics from Binford will actually go inside a troubled engine. Are you guys in there?" Heidi asked.

Heidi knocked on the engine and I watched curiously, holding Hannah close so that she didn't fall. Lately, Hannah had been quite squirmy and liked to try to crawl away, so, Mom suggested that I bring the Bumbo. I put Hannah in the Bumbo and she curiously watched. She wouldn't be able to see Dad but oh well.

"Welcome, everybody, to the inside of a Chevy small-block 350. Al and l are standing inside of a Carter AFB carburetor. The problem with this engine is it has low compression in the number three cylinder."

Hannah was trying to hear where Dad's voice was coming from. Babies knew that things existed when not in the same room, but Dad was a security object. She didn't like when she couldn't see Dad or Mom.

"That's where we'll be headed."

"Now, traveling through an engine is dangerous. So don't try this at home unless you too are four inches tall." I heard Al's voice. "When compression is the problem, what you wanna look for is a worn piston or cylinder wall. A good indication of that would be piston slap."

"You don't wanna slap any Detroit Pistons because they slap back." Dad laughed.

Hannah babbled and sucked on her toy as I kissed her head. Nothing was about to take me away from this girl. I was in love with being a big brother and making my sister laugh was icing on the cake. Usually, she loved me taking care of her, but sometimes she would cry for Mom.

"Is that funny, Hannah?" I asked with a laugh. "Is Daddy funny?"

"Well, the piston and cylinder wall look fine. The next thing you wanna look at is burnt exhaust valve." Al grinned and Hannah smiled at me.

"There's your problem, mister. That exhaust valve is burnt to a crisp. Well, now that we've found the problem, what we need to do now is replace that burnt valve and rebuild the cylinder heads. And that could be an awfully big job."

"Shh, Hannah, it's okay," I rocked her close.

"All right, Heidi. Start the motor. And bring us home. Heidi, make us big again."

Dad's show ended and he walked over to us, taking Hannah and she laughed happily, reaching up towards Dad. He picked her up with a smile and kissed her head with a laugh. I followed him and we headed to the car and walked toward his car with a smile.

…

I sat with Hannah on my lap and started playing with her hands, making her laugh and tossing her in the air. With a laugh, she reached towards me and kissed my head, softly cooing. While Tim was at the hardware store, I was home alone with Hannah and Randy was at football practice and Brad at soccer. Mark was at karate so that left me with my daughter which I loved.

"Hi sweetheart," I laid her on my lap and played with her hands. "Baa, Baa, black sheep have you any wool?"

Hannah looked at me curiously and babbled, reaching towards me.

"Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Three bags full! One for my master and one for the dame! One for the little boy who lives down the lane! Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool? Yes, sir! Yes, sir! Three bags full!"

Hannah babbled and looked at me, moving her arms happily. She laughed happily and I kissed her cheek.

"Aww, is Mommy's favorite daughter happy?" I kissed her cheek.

Hannah babbled with a laugh and I rocked her, gently putting her on the floor so that she could play. It wouldn't be a while until Tim or the boys got home, so I decided that this would be a fun time for Hannah and me. I loved being with my little girl!

"Your daddy comes home soon, sweetie," I kissed her head.

She gurgled and smiled, reaching for me.

I picked her up and cuddled her. "I think I hear Daddy."

Tim walked in somewhat sadly and took Hannah gently. "Hi, baby girl. Daddy missed you!"

"Look what l got. The thickest slab of' beef in Detroit and your seasoning."

"Cancel the steak, the seasoning, and, as much as l don't wanna say it, cancel our shellac party in the garage."

I put Hannah in her playpen and started putting food away, When I looked over at Hannah, she was fast asleep but I figured it was one of her naps. This was normal for her age plus it gave me things to do. There's a reason all parents have their kids lay down for naps.

"What are you talking about?"

"Harry had a heart attack."

"Harry the hardware store guy?"

"He's OK. It was a minor heart attack. It was like a wake-up call for me. I could've been the guy on the floor getting mouth-to-mouth by a 250-pound plumber." 

What on earth was he talking about? He was in great shape plus he was a bit young for a heart attack. Still, he kept himself in great shape so I wasn't worried.

"You?"

"Yeah. Harry and I go way back. He's in great shape. I played high school football with this guy."

"I thought you were the team towel boy."

"I'm trying to make a point here. I gotta eat better. The doctor said He called me middle-aged."

"You are not middle-aged. You're barely 40, as I recall this morning, you're 20."

"And look how time flies. I wake up 20, by noon I'm 40. At dinner I'm dead."

"By tomorrow morning l'll be remarried."

Tim, look at you. You're in great shape. You have incredible energy - sometimes too much energy - you are not gonna have a heart attack."

Hannah seemed to be starting to get bored in the playpen and was starting to cry, so I picked her up and let her start crawling on the floor. I laughed softly at her playing with Tim's shoes and he laughed, letting her "help" take his shoes off. I laughed, but looked at Tim and sighed.

"Maybe not, but other things could kill me." 

"Tell me, what is this ugly lump on my neck?

"Your head. Tim, it is a pimple."

This is not a pimple. This is fibrous. There's cords attached, things happening."

"They should make a movie - Indiana Tim and the Pimple of Doom - OK, make your stupid jokes."

"I'm calling every doctor l know. Cardiologists, radiologists, anesthesiologists, orthopedic."

"Tim, stop acting like your life is gonna come to an end."

"End, end, end. Good. Proctologist."

I sighed and looked at Tim while holding Hannah and getting out a bottle for her to drink from since I was weaning her off of my milk. With a whine, Hannah pouted, but drank the bottle as I held her.

….

"Jill. Did you know that Wilson had a heart attack 15 years ago?"

"He did? Oh, no. You're not gonna get all crazy about that now, are you?"

"No. He's OK with it and so am I. Apparently, he listened to an old Rotary named Sonoco. He said, ''Life isn't worth living if you have to pay for electricity while you're in Rome."

"Is it worth living if you're a tool man?"

"I overreacted with Harry. He's not me and l do take care of myself. Which is probably why you teased me so much."

"To tell you the truth, that crack about Pimple of Doom was mean."

"But funny."

I laughed and looked at Hannah who was playing on the floor and sat by Tim's leg, gripping onto his leg. With a laugh, Tim smiled and rubbed her head, kissing it. It was so cute to see Tim be a devoted daddy to his baby girl. I imagined him getting angry at boys who broke her heart. I would too, but there was a special anger dads had devoted for boys who broke their daughters' heart.

"I didn't like hearing you talk about not being around."

"Oh, so you like having me around?"

"Well let's put it this way. I put so much hard work into you, I'd like to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I have some news that you will enjoy. Your medical team called. And reported the following. No, no, no. I wanna read it. Your cholesterol is low. Blood pressure perfect. You have the heart rate of a marathon runner. Your pimple is a pimple. And you are not pregnant."

"I was so hopeful. That's good news. I'm a lucky guy. Got four great kids."

"And a great wife."

"And a great wife. And a great hot rod."

"Let's get back to that wife thing, OK?"

"I'm glad l turned 40 with you. And I'll be glad when I turn 80 with you.

"By then the kids will be gone. And we can go to the garage any time we want."

"Except by then we'll need jumper cables to get started. Are you still gonna kiss like that when you're 80?"

"It'll be better. Won't have my teeth to get in the way." 

I laughed softly and Tim picked up Hannah who cried at him to pick her up. With a smile, he cuddled her close and rubbed her back. His hand gently rubbed Hannah's back and made her laugh by tickling her. Hannah seemed to have calm down since she was cuddled into him.

….

"Hey! Hey! This is a guy made out of tools. Look at this."

"Yeah, it's a tool man for the tool man."

"And we made it all by ourselves."

"This is wonderful. Look at what they did. Hey! Beer and corn nuts. Needle-nose pliers. These are my tools."

"Well, you always say, ''When it comes to tools, use the best."

"This is great, guys. This is really great. Honey, it will take a lot to top this."

"I think I'm up to the challenge. Are you over your fear of death?"

"Yes."

"You wanna live life to its fullest?"

"Uh-huh."

"What is the one thing that you have always wanted?

"You didn't?"

"I did."


	23. Mark's BIG Problem (October 23, 1994)

I sat in the audience with Al droning on and I was falling asleep. Last night, I had not slept a wink, so, Al's boring talk about carpet lulled me to it. Other audience members were fast asleep and Hannah was about to cry from boredom. She opened her hands out towards Dad who gave a friendly smile.

"And, so, in conclusion," Al smiled as Heidi gave the carpet. "Thank you, Heidi. If your home is lightly trafficked, you can't go wrong with a Saxony plush carpet. It's luxurious and has a nice nap."

"I think the audience had a nice nap," Dad rolled his eyes as I rocked Hannah.

"Shh, Hannah," I started to rock her and gave her a toy. She settled down for now.

"I think not. Choosing a carpet is a very important decision. It's something you have to live with and walk on for years."

"So are you, Al," Dad joked and I laughed.

"On the other hand, if your home is heavily trafficked, you can go wrong with a nice Berber."

"Berber's nice because you don't have to cut it. Just go to a Berber shop."

"Are you quite through joking around?"

 _Prune,_ I thought but I didn't voice my opinion out loud. If I had, I would've been in big trouble on the way home for being rude. Still, he did seem like a prune. I like Al, but sometimes he could be a bit uptight. Last year, he was like a bearded version of Mom. I love Mom, but she's the only one I like to be like that.

"Are you hungry, Hannie? Do you want a bottle?" I gave it to her.

She fed herself as I watched and held her on my lap.

"Yes, I was trying to stay awake until we got to the good part. The tools. Al, tell us about the tools."

"These are the tools of the trade when putting in carpet. Duckbill sheers, porcupine roller."

"Are you laying carpet at the zoo?" Dad demanded as I laughed.

I burped Hannah and let her keep eating.

"Yes, I'm carpeting the zoo. I'm thinking of putting in walrus-to-walrus carpeting."

Dad mouthed, "Wow" and I laughed. Sometimes, Al could be funny, but not very often which was okay. Dad was the funny one of the two and that was okay with them since that was how their friendship worked. It was like with Brad and me. I was the brains while Brad did the deeds. I was Tom and he was Huck.

"All that carpet humor aside. What we have here is a porcupine roller."

"Those tools are fine if you're laying a piece of carpet down, but what if you want to carpet a larger area?"

"What would that be?"

"The Silverdome." Dad grinned. "How long would it take to Astroturf using these wimpy tools? You wouldn't get past the ten-yard line. What you need is a more-power porcupine roller. Heidi, my more power porcupine roller!"

"Here you go, Tim," Heidi handed it to him and I rocked Hannah.

"There is no such thing as a gas-powered porcupine!"

 _Never think that when you happen to be with Dad,_ I thought with a laugh. When you're with him, he can make anything seem possible. Though he's annoying a lot, I still admire Dad quite a bit. Not romantically, but like as a hero. I want to be like him in some ways.

"Watch how beautifully this seams our lovely wheat-colored Berber," Dad turned it on and I covered Hannah's eyes.

It basically shredded the thing.

"What would you call this?"

"Shredded wheat berber."

….

I walked down the stairs with Randy and Mark, holding the letter that Mark's teacher sent to him. Mom and Dad were out doing something and left us in charge of them again as usual. Hannah was asleep for the night, so, it was just us boys for that night to our pleasure.

I had a feeling of what was in the letter, but I didn't vocalize it. Paul had been doing what Vinnie was doing to Randy. It not only angered me, it angered Randy. Though we teased Mark, we were very protective of him. He was our brother and brothers protect each other.

"I don't think we should be steaming open the letter," Mark tried to protest as we walked down, careful not to wake Hannah up. "My teacher said to give this to Mom and Dad."

We walked into the kitchen and rolled our eyes. "We're doing this for _you,_ dork."

"Yeah. If you don't know what the teacher said, then you won't know what lie to tell to Mom and Dad."

There was a reason Randy was the brains of us and that's why. He knew how we could get away with it and it usually worked. He also knew when the attempt was futile, but we always loved mischief. We did it with Mrs. Green and our study hall teacher too, being Taylor kids.

"I don't have to lie. I didn't do anything," Mark shrugged.'

"Right. Teachers always send home notes like that. 'Dear Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, Mark didn't do anything. Just wanted to try out the new pen.'"

I hid the letter under my arm when Mom came in, but she too was careful not to wake Hannah up (as was Dad).

"How many times have we told you about steaming open letters?" Mom took it from us.

"Next time, use the tea pot. Much more steam comes out of this thing," Dad told and Randy grinned, but looked away when Mom glanced at him.

"Good, Tim, why don't you teach them next how to pick a lock? Let me guess, a note from school. Which one of you is it this time?"

"Not me," I walked out but hid behind the wall.

"Not me," Randy walked out and hid with me.

"It's me," Mark looked at them and Mom and Dad were shocked.

I too was shocked when Mark got one, but Randy and I had a feeling one was coming. A couple weeks ago, he had failed a test and he was acting different, but I figured it'd go away. The Paul problem needed to be resolved but that was what Randy and I would fix.

"Your first letter from a teacher. Alright! You're a man! You're in big trouble, but you're a man," Dad laughed.

"Mark, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Why does your teacher wanna meet with us?"

"I don't know. I didn't do anything."

"Mark, I use that line on your mom. It hardly ever works."

"It _never_ works. Tell us what's going on."

"Nothing. It's nothing."

Mark walked off and walked with us upstairs, heading to our room. Lately, we had been liking to hang out together in Mark's and my room. We'd plan pranks and just talk for hours until bedtime. Randy and I had been making conscious efforts to check on Mark since he had been bullied.

….

"Mark, we're leaving for the doctor in five minutes!" I yelled up to Mark as I zipped up Hannah's coat and checked the diaper bag.

While I'd take Mark and Hannah to get flu shots (and Hannah some rash cream), Jill had a class to go to. She'd take Brad to his saxophone lesson and Randy to football which was what we talked about yesterday. We had become very busy and with four kids, that was bound to happen. It also was bound to when your wife was in college again and taking classes.

"Dad, don't forget to pick me up after football practice. Beth's coming over and I need time to shower," Randy told and beamed up at Hannah.

"You don't need to bother with a shower. Do what I do. Wear an auto freshener around your neck. It drives her wild," I handed him the air freshener. "Rugged outdoorsy stuff. Women love it."

"If it doesn't get me girls, it'll definitely get me squirrels."

"Would you go get your brother please?"

Jill walked in and seemed very concerned which concerned me. What if was worse than we thought? Mark had refused to tell us, so we didn't know what to expect. He seemed closer to Brad and Randy lately who were oddly nice. They would play with him and let him talk to her.

"How'd the meeting with Mark's teacher go?" I asked as I was playing peek-a-boo with Hannah. "Where's Daddy? Where's Daddy? Peek-a-boo!"

Hannah laughed wildly and I kissed her nose.

"She was very nice and very concerned about Mark. She said he's been inattentive and withdrawn," Jill walked toward me and Hannah delighted in seeing Jill play peek-a-boo. "Where's Mommy? Peek-a-boo!"

"That's better than loud and obnoxious like I was," I shrugged and Jill handed me Hannah who was chewing on a toy. "Is Daddy's princess having a tooth come in?" I massaged her gum and she vocalized a coo of delight.

"I don't get it. He's always loved school."

"What does she think the problem is?"

I wondered if someone was bullying him or if he was simply just getting tired of it. Lots of kids grew tired of school as they got older and he was reaching that age. At that age, Randy no longer liked school and Brad hated it. Girls tended to like school more than boys.

"She doesn't know. She asked me if anything unusual is going on at home. Do you think he's upset with me going back to school? Maybe he feels abandoned."

I adjusted Hannah so that she wouldn't fall. "You didn't abandon him."

"I'm not as available as I used to be. I have classes, the library, studying…"

"That's not it. Mark likes you out of the house. We all do. What I mean is we're all very happy that you're pursuing your dream."

"So you don't think that I'm the problem?"

"No."

"Then it must be you."

"I am not the one that abandoned my child."

"That's what you think isn't it? I knew I shouldn't have gone to class until they were thirty!"

"I was kidding, okay, honey? I'll go talk to him and figure out what's wrong."

Brad, Randy and Jill left and I walked upstairs with Hannah in my arms. She seemed very happy but also starting to get bored. Traveling to the doctor with the baby was never any fun.

"Mark, come on. We'll be late for the doctor," I told and walked in.

Hannah was chewing on a block.

"I don't wanna get a flu shot," Mark looked sullenly up at me but gave a smile towards Hannah.

"The doctor's office is a lot of fun! While you're waiting, you can play with the blocks."

"Only babies play with blocks," Mark looked up at me, indicating Hannah.

Hannah loved playing with the blocks, but right now, she was teething. She liked getting her mouth on anything and everything that would help her teeth. It was part of having a baby in the house. The family had grown used to it and we'd massage her gums to comfort her.

"Come on," I nudged him.

"I'm trying to get this knot out. Brad and Randy tied my shoes together," Mark handed me his shoes and I let him hold Hannah on his lap.

"And a fine job they did," I fiddled with the shoe. "Your mom talked to your teacher and she says you're not paying attention."

"I'm paying attention," Mark tickled Hannah who laughed.

"Is the schoolwork getting too hard for you?"

"No."

"Too easy?"

"No."

"Are you worried about Mom going back to school?"

"No."

"Are you worried about male patterned baldness?"

"Dad, will you stop asking me a million questions? Nothing's going on!"

"We're not leaving this house until you tell me what's wrong."

"Great, I don't have to get my flu shot."

"Wrong-o," I picked up Hannah. "You're not missing that shot. Maybe the doctor will find out what's wrong with you."

….

"Hi Mark, how are you?" I asked as Hannah crawled toward him.

Lately, Hannah's been able to crawl and will not stop crawling lately. She loves that she's now mobile and can get herself to places. It's annoying when I'm cooking, but when I'm not, I find it cute. She also is starting to get into things which makes things harder on us.

Mark opened the fridge and picked Hannah up. "Fine, Mom."

"I have some cookies, would you like some?"

"Sure!"

Mark walked over with Hannah who seemed content in his arms.

"I feel bad. We haven't been able to have our customary chats. How've you been?"

"Fine."

"I talked to your teacher. She thinks you're having a hard time with something."

"I'm not, Dad already asked me."

Mark put Hannah down and she crawled toward the front door. I quickly grabbed her and put her on my lap which caused her to pout, but she found a toy. I knew she couldn't open the door, but she had somehow once. So, I was very careful not to leave doors open with her being mobile now.

"I thought you just might feel more comfortable talking to me," I looked at him.

"Nope."

"Come on, honey. You know you always feel better when you tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong! You're worse than Dad!"

Mark ran off outside and I sighed but looked at the happy baby in my arms. I had nine years of her confiding in me. She would as a teenager, but teen girls are notorious for hating their mothers.

….

I walked out and sat on the chair outside and Brad was dribbling with the soccer ball since he really loved soccer. Obviously, Randy wasn't home yet, so it was just Mom, Brad, Hannah and me in the house. Though Brad was often mean to me, I loved having him as company. I knew I could confide in him (he'd only tell Randy but they would help me).

"Brad?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you get moved from the back of the class to the front of the class?"

"Why would you wanna be in the front of the class? That's where the teacher is. Is that where Paul is?"

He knew about Paul bullying me already by probably brother's instinct. That was something that Randy was dealing with (with Vinnie) too. It brought us closer and it made Brad mad so he'd beat up Vinnie if he was mean to Randy. We were close as brothers, what can I say?

"Yeah, it is and I can't see the board from the back."

"So? What's the big deal? Not about Paul about not seeing the board."

"Promise not to tell Mom and Dad?"

"Promise."

"I'll have to get glasses and I'll look like a dork."

"Mark, as much as I think you're a dork, you won't. Lots of kids wear them. They're not that big of a deal. Besides, they make you look smarter. Girls love smart boys which is why Beth probably loves Randy."

I laughed and he nudged me forward to go inside. I got up and walked to where Mom was writing some stuff on papers and I saw Hannah playing in her playpen. Mom was working on something, but I wanted to tell her now otherwise I'd never tell her and I'd be in trouble.

"Mom? I want to talk."

"Good. Sit down. Pour your little heart out."

"I can't see the board at school. I think I need glasses."

"Is that what's bothering you? That's not so bad."

"It's bad to me. Some of the kids already think I'm a dork. If I get glasses, all of them will."

"Nobody thinks you're a dork."

"Then why do they call me ''dork''?"

"Well, because some kids are mean. They think by calling you names that makes them cool. Let me tell you what real cool is. Real cool is feeling good about yourself and not worrying about what other people think."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's use your dad as an example. Your dad does things that some people might consider dorky. Like the time that he froze his tongue to the hammer, or the time that he glued his head to the table. It doesn't bother him. You know why? Because he feels good about who he is. And you should feel good about who you are."

"I should?"

"Yeah. You are a great kid. You are so smart, and you're fun to be with. And you care about other people. Look, tomorrow, we'll go and we'll get your eyes checked, and if you need glasses, we'll just make sure that you get some really cool frames."

I walked off happily as Hannah was biting on her hand and cooing happily. That made me feel a lot better, but I still preferred confiding in Brad and Randy. We liked each other's company but also didn't sugar coat things. We wouldn't for our sister either, but we'd also be sweet and kind.

… 

Mom and Mark walked in and Brad and I smiled at him. Brad told me what was going on with Mark and I had been angry. We threatened Paul and he stomped off but hadn't messed with Mark since. If people did, then we'd use the wrath of a brother and make them pay.

I held Hannah and she cooed at seeing Mark and Mom.

"Hey Mark," Brad and I grinned, with Hannah laughing.

"How'd it go at the optometrist?"

"His eyes aren't that bad. He just needs them for seeing the blackboard, watching TV and driving."

"Well, let's see them," Dad smiled.

Mark put them on and Dad pretended to scream.

"They look nice," Dad smiled.

"They look cool," Brad nodded as we walked towards him. "And if anyone calls you a dork, they have to answer to us."

"Yeah, we're the only ones allowed to call you a dork." I poked him in the stomach playfully.

Brad and I would do anything for Mark and that including saving him from bullies and making the bullies pay. What else were brothers for? We saved each other and caused mischief. We'd do the same for Hannah and when boys came a knocking at her door, we'd hate them.


	24. Uncle Marty's Visit (October 30, 1994)

"You won't believe what I got." Tim brought in a big box and smiled at seeing Hannah eating some cut up fruit in her high chair and she loved it.

Whenever Tim said that, it caused me to wince and I knew that meant something bad to the house. It usually ended up in a tornado and I usually ended up cleaning it up (every time). So, I started telling him no which seems to work, but he makes a face that the boys do and I can't say no.

"Take it back." I put some more cut up peach on Hannah's chair and she was eating with her hands. Tim kissed Hannah's had.

"Something to make your life easier. Binford's new universal fan-cooled central vacuum system."

Ever since Tim exposed the flimsy tool on Tool Time earlier this year, Wes had been making sure they passed tests. Tim and Al would test them and approve or disapprove of how the tool worked. If it worked, they promoted it on Tool Time. If not, then they went on to something else. Wes quit threatening to fire Tim since he had Hannah with him one time and it changed him.

"I have always wanted one of those."

"The biggest, the best. A Binford demo. Didn't cost me a cent."

"Take it back."

"I know what you're thinking, but installation is a breeze. That's what you always say, and then the breeze turns into a tornado."

"It won't happen this time. Come on, Jill."

Tim made a sad face that the boys made and it melted me. I hated seeing Tim, the boys or Hannah cry and it made me want to make their problems go away. That was the reason Tim made it when he wanted something. I usually relented when he did and this time was no different.

"Don't make that face."

"I'll keep it simple and just do one room. All l got to do is run a PVC tube down to the basement, attach it to the central unit."

"You swear that's all there is to it?"

"Just think - no more carrying a heavy vacuum upstairs or back down the stairs. It's got a flexible hose with hand controls. Convertible upholstery brush."

"Crevice attachment?"

"Oh, yeah. So long and narrow, it'll suck the tonsils out of a cobra."

"Well, it would be nice to have a central vacuuming system."

I continued to feed Hannah who was mashing her pears into the high chair and Tim laughed, watching her throw food on the floor. She was at the age where babies (and Tim and the boys still) thought it was funny to throw food. I hid my laughter so that I didn't encourage her.

….

"Honey, I'm home!" Jill yelled and I winced.

In the walkway, there was a giant hole in the floor. I had been trying to install the central vacuuming system for Jill, but I kept doing things wrong. I knew she would be steaming mad and it was too late to do anything now. Maybe if I held Hannah she wouldn't say anything.

"Ag ga ha sa," Hannah babbled and I had no clue what it meant.

"I thought you were at the library, working on your paper." I adjusted Hannah and Jill took her from me gently.

"I couldn't concentrate. College boys kept bothering me."

"Were they hitting on you?"

"No. They thought I was the librarian."

I laughed some and Jill balanced Hannah on her hip, letting her cling to her shoulder. Jill kissed her head and made her laugh by tickling her chin. Hannah kicked her feet and cuddled into Jill.

"Where you going?"

"I have to finish this paper. I'm gonna be digging myself into a big hole."

"So you could understand how that sort of thing might happen?"

"Tim, there's a giant hole in the floor."

"Oh, that's not a giant hole. The Grand Canyon would be a big hole."

"You told me the hole was gonna be this big."

"I had to move the water pipes."

"The same old story every time. You come up with some idiotic idea, l say no, you make a pathetic face, then I give in, and you're pulling up the floor. I can't even use my computer. Just once, I'd like to come home and find the house in one piece."

"It would have been but you were early."

"So this is my fault?"

"In a way. You'd never know about this if you had proper study habits.

"Tim, please. Just fix the hole. Then fix the one in your head."

The doorbell rang and Jill stomped upstairs but had a gentle hold on Hannah. With a curious look, Hannah watched me but became a blur when Jill walked up. She probably would to put her on the floor and play with her. That's what she usually did when she was mad at me. I knew I'd be the one to get the door since there was no way that she'd speak to me.

"Marty! Come on in!" I stepped on the rug and let him in. "What are you doing?"

"I'm in town on a sales trip," Marty smiled and walked in, hugging me.

I walked to the stairs and looked up. "Honey!"

"I'm not talking to you," Jill answered and a babble came from Hannah.

"Little argument," I laughed.

"Oh—the hole?"

"Jill, my brother's here!"

"Danny?"

"The one who doesn't owe me money."

"Marty? Marty!"

Jill bounded down with Hannah on her hip. Hannah cooed and laughed as Jill jumped down and kept a careful hold on her. With a laugh, Marty grinned at her and I expected that Hannah had Marty around her finger too. She had everyone around her little finger.

"Is that my little niece? You've grown to be such a big girl!" Marty took her and Hannah laughed drooling.

I laughed and looked at Hannah cuddling into Marty.

"How's Nancy? How are those little babies? Tim! You used the good towels?" Jill raised her eyebrow and Marty played peek-a-boo.

"I didn't want to ruin my shop towels!"

"Did I come at a bad time?"

 _No, we always fight,_ I thought sarcastically but smiled. She never fought in front of company, so that's how I tried to escape fighting with her. It also worked if Hannah and or the boys were there too. She hated fighting in front of the kids so she'd play nice.

"I tried calling, but the phone is dead," Marty gave Hannah a baby toy out of his pocket and she chewed on it happily.

"The phone is dead?" Jill glared.

"That must've been those wires I sawed through!"

…...

I walked with Marty through the kitchen and Randy had Hannah upstairs to keep her out of the way. If I had let Hannah fall through the hole or worse, Jill would not only ignore me, she wouldn't trust me. Though I watch the kids carefully, I still didn't trust Hannah around the hole.

"I'm glad you're here," I smiled.

"You missed me huh?" Marty laughed.

"No. If you hadn't shown up, Jill would still be chewing me out over this hole. She will not fight in front of company. So as long as you're here, she won't yell at me."

"I wish Nancy was more like that. She doesn't care who's around. Remember she yelled at me at Uncle Henry's memorial service?"

"Marty, you lost the man's ashes."

"I didn't lose them. I got into the convertible—"

"Which was your first mistake. And you're lucky l saved your butt. Do you know how many cigars l had to smoke to make one Uncle Henry?"

Jill walked down with a groan and looked at me which meant she was still mad. It helped that I had the kids upstairs (Aside from Brad who wanted to help). She still would not talk to me, but she had been busy writing some paper. I didn't know how she would write in this house. There's barely any peace and quiet, especially with a teen, preteen, a kid and a baby.

"How much longer till the water's back on?"

"It'll be on in a minute. I'm gonna put you up in Brad's room. I'll put all the kids together. I wish Nancy and the twins had come. I'm dying to see 'em."

With three babies, it'd be incredibly cute but incredibly challenging. I imagined the three of them being best friends.

"It's just a quick trip."

"Brad, turn the water on! Brad, you got to shut it off. Almost there."

"Tim. May I, uh, speak with you privately?"

"It'd be kind of rude in front of our company, wouldn't it?"

"Sure you can't stay more than a couple of days? Maybe a year?"

I looked at him nervously and he gave a shrug. It was good to have Marty here since I considered him more than a brother. We were like Brad and Randy were to each other (Neither of us were very bright though). Still, we were stuck like glue. He was ten years younger than me, but we were best friends.

….

"Are you excited for your first Tool Time, Uncle Marty?" I asked as he reached to hold Hannah and I let him.

He laughed with a smile. "I'm excited. Does Hannah normally behave?"

"Usually she will."

We laughed and Hannah snuggled into him, gumming on his shirt. He didn't seem to mind since his daughters had done that. They were about a few months older than Hannah so she'd have best friends. I was protective of my cousins, but having a baby sister is different.

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as Hannah held onto Uncle Marty and slept.

"Tool Time!" We chanted.

"That's right! Binford Tools is proud to present Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor."

Dad walked out and waved, causing Hannah to squeal with delight.

"Thank you, Heidi. Welcome to Tool Time. I am Tim "'The Tool Man" Taylor. It's always a pleasure to share the spotlight with someone special in my life. My brother Marty's here. My youngest brother Marty's here. The only brother I can still beat up. Right?"

Dad walked over and made a funny face at Hannah which made her laugh with delight and Uncle Marty waved. Dad walked away and Hannah gummed on Uncle Marty and again, he didn't seem to care she was doing it. Like Dad, Uncle Marty loved having a daughter and they were both great uncles too.

"Tim, are you going to introduce me or do I have time to run to the cleaners?" Al demanded.

"And you all know my assistant, Al Borland," Dad indicated him. Al waved. "Today, we'll be talking about abrasives."

"Abrasives can be used for anything from your car to family heirlooms."

"Well, you spend all the time you want polishing your family jewels .But we're talking about car finishes. We've got several hoods out here. Matter of fact, there's a couple of hoods backstage waiting for Al. He's apparently a late on his flannel payment."

"You know, one of these days you're gonna run out of flannel jokes."

"Oh, I don't think so, Al. Not with my Complete Flannel Joke Book. 'Why did the flannel cross the road? 'Cause Al was over there.' 'Hey, waiter, there's a fly in my flannel. 'Please, take my flannel.'," Al took the book from Dad and I laughed. "There's also the handy wallet-size version. 'How do you keep an idiot wearing flannel in suspense? I'll tell you tomorrow." 

I laughed and looked at Hannah who was playing with Uncle Marty. I was happy that I had someone to go with me to Tool Time and I loved it. When Hannah was older, she'd understand more and could "help" on stage. Being Dad's little girl, I knew she would.

"If the finish on your car is in good shape, what you need is a mild abrasive before you wax."

"We recommend Binford's 2000 Polishing Compound."

"A dab on a soft cloth, and you'll have a shine you can be proud of. Look! I can see myself. If you want to remove oxidation you need something a bit more abrasive. Like a can of Tim's personality."

"Of course, a can of your personality would be empty. We recommend Binford's Super 2000 Rubbing Compound before polish or wax."

"This surface cannot be brought back. We need to take the paint off of it. For that, we need something more abrasive, maybe an 80-grit wet-dry sandpaper.

"That'll remove your paint and you can start from there. But for even more abrasive things, we move on to sandblasters. Open-shoe grinders. And the most abrasive of all the nagging wife."

I laugh and picture what Mom would say when she saw that, but then again, she might be studying or doing something else. It was funny, but Mom was already mad at Dad and she would just get madder. That meant we had to stay upstairs or away while they fought. They refused to fight if we were in the room and especially if she was taking care of Hannah.

….

"What did you think of Tool Time today?"

"Oh, it was great. But only in this country could a goof-off like you get his own TV show."

"God bless America, huh? Want something to drink?

"A beer would be great."

I ordered us some beer and sat down with him. It was fun to get to talk to my brother again and to get time alone with him. After he had the twins and Jill and I had Hannah, we had been pretty busy. We also had Brad, Randy and Mark who had sports (or other activities) plus Jill's college schedule. We kept ourselves busy but we made time for family too.

"I'm not sure Jill's gonna be crazy about that abrasive bit.

"I save the bits that make her mad for when she's already mad. I can't lose."

"You're always thinking."

"I had that abrasive bit worked out weeks ago, but we're getting along, I couldn't use it."

Marty laughed and we drank the beer, with me thinking about how Hannah would have playmates at the next family reunion. Before Hannah and the twins were born, the boys didn't have any cousins close to their age to play. So, they played with each other and kept happy.

"So, uh you and Jill fight a lot?"

"Depends what you mean by ''a lot."

"How about all day, every day?"

"That would be a lot. You talking about you and Nance?"

"Yeah. Seems like ever since we had the babies all we do is fight."

"It's only been six months. Give it a chance. When Brad was born, I had to make a lot of adjustments. I had to wait for Jill to give me a bath."

"When l get home, l don't even get a 'Hello'."

"I didn't care if she said hello, I just wanted my bath."

I knew where Marty was coming from, though, so I felt for him. When Brad was born, everything changed between us. Jill was more concerned about taking care of Brad (rightly so) than making sure we had alone time. With little kids, it's rare to have alone time, but we now have two babysitters at home. So, we're lucky. I felt bad for Marty, but he'd get through it.

"I come in from work. Nancy throws me the twins and says she needs a break."

"Get used to it. Having twins is a lot of work. I mean, just breastfeeding them's got to leave her feeling drained."

"Remember that Cyclone ride?"

"Oh, I loved that Cyclone. I loved it. You couldn't stand it."

"I feel like I'm on it now. I swear, you know, my life just feels totally out of control. Ever since we had the kids, it seems like everything's fallen apart."

"You saying you wish you didn't have the kids?"

"I don't know. I just know Nancy and I got no relationship anymore. I'm thinking of leaving her."

I stared in shock at Marty and felt like I was in a daze. How could he think of leaving Nancy just because of that? Jill and I didn't have a relationship once Brad was born, but we worked it out after Randy was born. We made ourselves have a date night every couple Fridays of a month and it worked. It evolved to having a date night almost every weekend.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"It was meant to be leaving your family?"

"I've done a lot of thinking."

"Think about this. You're gonna go home, grow up, and act like a man."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"You're acting like an idiot."

"Don't call me an idiot."

"This is just like you. You never commit to anything. Remember Boy Scouts?"

"You're comparing my marriage to the Boy Scouts? I don't need this. I thought you'd be the one to understand.

"I understand you're being selfish."

"The hell with you. I don't need this. Here." 

Marty stormed off and I sighed, looking at him. I knew I couldn't (and shouldn't) force him or tell him what to do since this was _his_ marriage. I couldn't be the "dad" anymore but that was hard. I had raised him for seventeen years (with Jill's help) and it was hard to let go.

….

"I think we should talk. Where'd you go after the bar?

"Ah. I waited outside for you to leave, then l ducked back in. You know - had a beer, ate a sandwich. Counted the flies on the pest strip."

"I used to take care of things for you. I can't do that anymore."

"I wasn't asking you to take care of anything. I just wanted you to listen."

"I'm listening. Tell me what's going on."

Like when he was younger (I was in my early twenties and in college), I was able to take care of things for him. I could handle his bullies, help him with bad grades and do other things, but a marriage is different. It wasn't my place to say what to do for his marriage since he was different than I was.

"Nancy and I don't have any time together anymore. I knew raising the twins was gonna be hard, but I didn't know it'd be like this. She and l used to reach for each other in the middle of the night. Now we're reaching for the babies.

"Little brother, this is real common. Everybody goes through this. When you were first dating and first got married, you grabbed for each other. Once you have kids, it's the end of that tune."

"There hasn't been any music in our house in six months."

"No wonder you're so cranky." 

It was relieving that we were working out an argument. I hated fighting with my little brother since I had helped raise him. I admired how he was with the boys and now Hannah (best uncle!). He was as protective as we were and didn't let anything happen to his nephews and niece.

"You're telling me I shouldn't leave."

"I'm not gonna tell you that. I can't do this. You gotta make your own decision here."

"I can't imagine my life without Nancy."

"I can't imagine any other woman havin' ya.

"I hate the idea of leaving the kids. When they're not puking and pooping, they're really cute."

"They do grow out of that, you know. Help me fix the distributor on the hot rod, will you? I'm looking forward to the day I pick up one of the kids and nothing gooey shoots out."

"You gotta wait a while. But then it gets fun. They walk, they talk. You can roughhouse with 'em. Teach 'em to be guys like us."

"Tim. They're girls."

"Are they? - They're awful hairy for girls."

"Hey, hey, hey, hey."

"Well, then, teach them how to stay away from guys like us." 


	25. Baby's First Halloween (October 31, 1994

"Aww, my baby looks so cute!" I grinned and looked at Hannah.

I had put her in an orange and black dress with a jack-o-lantern on it and it looked absolutely adorable. I put a black bow in her hair. My heart just warmed at seeing my daughter and it would as she'd grow. When she was a teenager and didn't want to trick-or-treat (probably go to a party), she'd warm it then. Teenage girls were tough (my poor parents!) but that was okay.

"Peek-a-boo!" I popped out from behind my hands.

She laughed hard and looked at me, kicking her feet and moving her hands.

"Is Mommy silly? Is Mommy silly?"

She looked at me and I laughed, blowing a raspberry on her belly. She laughed and urged me to do it again. So, I did it again.

"Pretty soon, your brothers will be home," I smiled happily. "And you get to make them laugh while I get your costume."

I laughed softly and her blue eyes met my brown ones. It just was adorable that she had inherited the "Taylor" blue eyes that all the Taylor kids had. Gracie and Claire had it too along with the boys. So, we nicknamed them the "Taylor eyes". Nothing could take her place in my heart.

"Is Mommy's angel tired?" I kissed her head. "Do you wanna nap?"

She yawned and I carried her to her bedroom, since I wanted to let her put herself to sleep now that she was seven months old. On occasion, we still did rock her and put her to sleep since we loved sitting in the rocking chair. We'd even sit on the porch swing and rock her.

"Have a good nap, honey," I put her in her crib and put the side bar of the crib up, waking out of the bedroom.

In a couple years, she'd have a toddler bed and we'd say goodbye to cribs forever. Well, until we had grandkids, but that was a long way off. So, we wouldn't see them for another ten years or so after Hannah was out of one.

….

We sat in study hall and I felt extremely bored, but I was happy to have my best friend, Brad, by my side. We went through thick and thin together and nothing would tear us apart now. Though we hung out with different people, we usually ended up wanting to be with each other. We were brothers and acted more like the same age brothers except for last year.

"Brad," I whispered. "Vinnie called Mark a dork and told him he was a freak."

Brad's face reddened but he whispered back. "We'll get him back with a Taylor prank. He won't know what hit him! We're the kings of the pranks!"

I laughed and looked at him curiously. "You know, we should prank Mom and Dad too since we're thinking of it."

"You bet! What'd you have in mind?"

"Well, I switched out Dad's shampoo with that hair dye that only lasts until you wash your hair next."

"Cool!" Brad high-fived me. "You're learning well, young Randy."

I laughed and he flicked a paper ball towards me. I flicked it back and we made it a game of soccer. The teacher gave us a stern look, but I simply flung it towards him since we were being quiet. Neither of us had any homework (I had finished my book too) so we were bored.

"You know, we should also prank Mark."

I grinned mischievously. "That is a wonderful idea, Brad!"

Brad grinned and I laughed, high-fiving him.

"No talking," The teacher glared.

I quieted down, but snickered quietly with Brad who was red with laughter. We had inherited our father's love of mischief. You couldn't blame us for being so mischievous but Mom never bought that. She thought it was cute, but she never considered it an excuse.

….

"Aww, you look so cute, princess," I smiled at my princess and tickled her toes, making her laugh, "Is that funny? Was Daddy funny, baby girl?"

Hannah laughed and I looked at her costume. She had a black cat costume on and looked absolutely adorable. I had taken a picture of her with the cat but the cat was a bit hesitant about it.

"Jill, come look at your cute kids," I laughed and looked at her, watching her come down happy.

With a laugh, she smiled at what the kids were. Brad and Randy were zombies, Mark was Al and Hannah was a cat. "Aww, my babies look so cute!"

Brad frowned. "Mom!"

Jill laughed softly and took Hannah. "Sorry, sweetie, but it's true. You'll be my babies until the day I die."

"Mom, please, we have to go," Randy wriggled away.

Jill laughed and let loose, putting Hannah in the stroller and letting Randy push the stroller to take Hannah trick or treating.

….

We walked the streets and pushed Hannah in the stroller to go trick-or-treating. This was the last year that I would go trick-or-treating, but I'd take Hannah. Until I went to college, I would probably just take Hannah to go trick-or-treating. Nothing made me happier then seeing my sister happy.

We knocked on the door and a woman opened the door. "Trick-or-treat."

The woman had long red hair with freckles and brown eyes. She looked really cute and really nice.

"Don't you guys look cute?" She put candy in our bags.

((Sorry it's so short! I'm burnt out! More updates coming tomorrow!))


	26. The Rotten Tape (November 7, 1994)

"Man, this ice cream really is frozen!" Brad slammed down the spoon next to the eleven other spoons that had broken in the process.

The ice cream was as frozen solid as an ice cube. It was hard to scoop into (barely able to scoop it up with a spoon. Most people have an ice cream scooper and we did too, but it wasn't working right. So, Dad volunteered to fix it. That meant that the scooper would be destroyed and we'd need to buy a new one. That was okay, though, but Hannah loved ice cream.

"How long until we get to eat it?" Mark asked as I held Hannah on my hip.

She babbled and I handed her one of the bent spoons to play with. She waved it in the air and laughed, putting it in her mouth. That was one way to get rid of one of the spoons was to give it to Hannah. She'd gladly play and chew on it which was why Mom and I gave them to her a lot.

"My guess is about twelve more spoons," I looked at the spoons.

"Tim, I found the video camera," Mom came down as Hannah squealed at seeing and hearing Mom come down.

Mom walked down in a nice black sparkly dress with a black jacket. She had her hair put up in a bun. She looked professional and like she was going back to work at the journal place again. Tonight, she was leaving Brad and me in charge of Mark and Hannah while she and Dad were at the library opening.

"Agh aasa saa," Hannah reached towards Mom and cooed.

Mom softly laughed and took Hannah from me, tickling her chin. Hannah laughed.

"Don't worry, Mom! You're gonna do great!" I grinned at Mom.

Mom held Hannah and was trying to find her a toy. "Thanks guys, I'm so nervous about this library opening. I've never spoken in front of so many people before."

"Oh, you have nothing to worry about," I waved my hand away and Hannah laughed, kicking her feet playfully.

"And by the way, did we mention that you look awesome?" Brad grinned.

Mom put her hands on her hips and looked at us. "Why do you have your hands behind your back?"

"Just a little change of pace from keeping them in front, you know," I looked at her.

"Let me see them," Mom frowned. "Both of them. Oh guys. How many times have I told you not to break the spoons in the ice cream? I thought we got an ice cream scooper."

She took the spoons from us and put them in the drawer with a sigh. Hannah was trying to reach for a spoon and Mom gave in to her. Since they were useless anyways, I figured she thought that the only use was for Hannah to play with them. It might keep her distracted from when Mom and Dad leave.

"It didn't work right, Dad's been trying to fix it," Brad looked at her.

Dad walked in and Hannah cooed at him, reaching for him to pick her up and cuddle her close. With a big grin, Dad took her from Mom and kissed her forehead, her hand wrapped around his finger. Like me, Dad's like a gentle lamb around Hannah and considers her a princess. He calls her a warrior too, but I knew that when she asked him to, he'd dress up as Beast and she'd be Belle.

"Dad did fix it. Didn't he, my warrior princess? Did Daddy fix the scoop?" He walked over to us.

"Oh great," Mom rolled her eyes and Hannah seemed enthralled with the spoon in her hand and it went in her mouth again.

"I took the 35-watt element out and replaced it with one of a curling iron."

Dad grinned and Mom hurried toward the door. "Tim, we don't have time for this. We have to go!"

"Now you not only melt the ice cream, you can style it at the same time," Dad grinned at us. "Just turn it on watch this baby go right through it." It fell through and put a hole through the ice cream. "Hey, look at that. Milkshake, anybody?"

Mom heaved a sigh and I knew that the ice cream was basically ruined now. I liked Dad's inventions usually, but sometimes they could be annoying. It had intrigued Hannah who was trying to reach for the ice cream. She wailed and tried to grab it, but I pulled her away.

…

"Hey guys," I walked in the hardware store and smiled.

To guys, a hardware store was a place where we could just hang out and talk. It was like how Brad felt about his bedroom with his friends. He likes to go there and hang out with his friends. What we usually did was talk about our wives which they wouldn't like if they found out.

"Hey, Tim, how's Hannah?" Harry was writing something down.

"She's great, she discovered crawling and it's hard to get her to stay still. Have you got a small screwdriver? Tape's jammed in my camera."

"Here you go. How's it going?" Harry asked as I loosened the tape and got it out, putting it in my coat.

"I'm numb. I spent three of the most boring hours of my life at the library," I laughed and looked at the tape.

Since what we told each other never left the hardware store, none of us feared that we'd get in trouble with our wives. We all knew how wives acted so we had a non-verbal pact that says we won't tell any of our wives anything we said. Al told Ilene everything so we didn't say anything around him.

"Three hours? You know if you put together all the times I was at the library, it wouldn't come out to three hours," Harry laughed.

"Who would've guessed? Jill had a speech at the library and told me to tape it."

"You taped that? Cause Ilene really wanted to see it," Al grinned.

Eddie walked over in his body shop uniform and was giving me a discount. I had wrecked the station wagon so it needed to be fixed for a while. He got me a rental station wagon that would do until we got the van back.

"Maybe one night this week Ilene and I can come over and watch it."

"Or I could just put my head in a vase," I joked.

"Timmy are these things hard to use?" Eddie asked.

"No, not anymore. Just point and shoot pretty much," I took out the camera. "Why does everybody wave at these things? It's perfect I do birthdays, holidays and all of our vacations. My favorite thing is an oddly misshapen buttcrack."

"Would you turn that thing off?" Al grabbed it and set it down.

That camera had costed a lot of money, but I knew he'd never intentionally hurt it. Since we had all the footage of important things, I wasn't worried about loss. The camera had been around since Brad was born. I filmed what happened after each of the kids' births and I was excited.

"So, that library thing was pretty boring, huh?" Harry laughed.

"Let's put it this way. Jill's speech was so boring, I had to check my pulse to see if I was still alive."

"Harry, Tim's exaggerating. Jill's a very fine speaker."

"Normally she is, but she started quoting poetry and it was blanket and pillow time."

"You wanna talk sleep? My wife starts talking about her antique button collection. I'm in a coma!"

"Forget coma! Last night my wife starts talking about decorating. I'm not kidding. I was clinically dead for three minutes! There she is, yakking about new fabrics for the sunroom. I didn't know what the old ones looked like! I didn't even know we had a sunroom!"

We laughed and I felt like these were my closest friends aside from Wilson and my little brother, Marty, of course. Nearly every day, I went to the hardware store just to talk to them and Jill knew that. They liked her too and treated her like family and vice versa with how she did with them.

"What kills me is when my wife wants to talk about our relationship," Harry laughed and I looked at him.

"Like you have one," I teased. "I've got a better one. My wife is studying psychology right now. Boy is she boring when she yammers on about these terms. Neurotic, psychotic, halitosis, cirrhosis, dysfunction, dat function. When my wife talks about psychology, she is the big bopper of boredom. I got this great strategy where I pretend like I'm listening."

"Maybe it's because I'm new in the relationship, but I like talking to Ilene."

"That's because in your relationship, you are the boring one!" I laughed.

I laughed and walked out of the hardware store with my camera.

….

Another part of the tape played and it showed Tim with his buddies at the hardware store which confused me. Why would Tim tape himself being with his buddies at the hardware store? Though it was confusing, I decided to let it play anyways and I could do the bottles when Al and Ilene left.

" _So that library thing was pretty bad, huh?"_ Harry was behind the desk and working on something while Tim and Eddie were in front of him.

" _Let's put it this way. Jill's speech was so dull that I had to check my pulse to see if I was still alive. I got it worse than either of you. Jill's studying psychology right now. She is so boring the way she yammers on with these useless terms._ "

"This is very illuminating. 'So boring?'" I cross my arms at him and head towards the sink again.

"That's not what I said. I said sobering."

"We'll just let ourselves out," Al and Ilene walked out.

They closed the door and I headed towards the sink again to wash the bottles. My anger was boiling but I knew we had sleeping kids upstairs. I wasn't about to wake them up by yelling at Tim. Hannah could sleep through the night now, but I still liked them to be quiet when she was sleeping.

"Well, I suppose you wanna talk about this," Tim walked towards me.

I started scrubbing the bottles and felt like I wanted to scream at Tim.

"Oh, no. I wouldn't want to bore you," I finished the bottles and put them to dry.

"That's alright, go ahead. I wanna hear what you have to say."

"I've already heard what you have to say," I glared at him and crossed my arms.

"I was in a hardware store with guys."

"Is this how you really feel about me?"

I thought I heard Hannah start to cry but I was wrong. With a glare, I frowned at him and backed away out of his arm reach. There was no way on the planet that I was about to give him a hug or a kiss. I was still willing to give them to the boys or Hannah (they hadn't done anything wrong).

"No! It's just what I say about you! It's a hardware store! We guys talk however we want to!"

"Because it's a hardware store, you don't have to be accountable for your actions?"

"You're blowing this way out of proportion! You know this is how men talk! I'm sure you and your girlfriends do it all the time!"

"That is not true! I have never once said anything behind your back that I've never said to your face!"

"It was a conversation that you should never have heard!"

"It was a conversation that you never should have had!"

"A conversation that you shouldn't have seen!"

"This is a conversation that is over!"

I stormed off towards Hannah who was wailing in her crib and left Tim to stand in the kitchen by himself.

….

I sat with Hannah in my lap, waiting for Dad to come out for Tool Time. With a laugh, I started playing peek-a-boo with her and she cooed happily. It was hard to believe that at the end of this month she'll be six months old. How has it been half a year with her here already? It amazed me that she had been here for a year and yet she still was growing fast.

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi yelled.

"Tool Time," We chanted.

"Taa da maas," Hannah was trying to say it.

"It's rock and roll day here on Tool Time! Here are the two rocking stars! Tim Taylor and Al Borland!"

Dad walked out and Hannah babbled at him, opening and closing her hands to reach toward Dad to pick her up.

"Welcome to Tool Time. I am Tim the "Cool Man" Taylor and here's my assistant, the King, Al-vis," Dad joked. He walked over and the camera was on us. "And here are two of my kids yet again."

Dad walked back upstage and I laughed with a smile.

"Today we're gonna be having a rocking good time because we're building ourselves a rocking chair," Al joked.

"Yesterday, if you remember, we bent the wood of the frame of our rocking chair by putting it into this steamer box."

"The steam made the wood pliable and easy to shape."

"Speaking of steam. I wanna let off some. Why don't women understand that men need a place to be men? To get together with other men and discuss manly things. All kinds of men stuff from V-8 engines to smelly feet to what annoys us the most about our wives."

Dad walked back on stage and Al sighed in relief. I had a sleeping Hannah in my arms and I watched the show, wrapping her in the blanket. She was snoring away and was happily snuggled into me. I had her over my shoulder and she buried her head in my shoulder.

"Now, we're ready to make our legs and posts of our chair, using the Binford 6100 variable speed wood lathe."

"Now, we first use a rough gouge to take off the square edges. Al will use the half-round nose to start shaping our piece."

"There are various types of patterns to shape your leg. Or you can do it freestyle. It's a very difficult skill to master. You might wanna practice on a piece of wood."

"I'll give more good advice. Always think safety when working with a lathe. You'll notice I'm not wearing a necktie. No loose clothing."

The lathe grabbed Dad's shirt and I burst out laughing. I rocked Hannah and made sure that she stayed asleep.

"Is it chilly in here?"

….

"Do you know what I have?" I ran to them.

Randy and Brad were on the couch with Hannah sprawled across their laps and was happily playing with a toy. Again, Dad was out at the hardware store so Brad and Randy were put in charge of Hannah and I for the day. It wasn't really that bad since both were more focused on her instead of me. She needed more attention but we'd hang out while Hannah was sleeping.

"Rabies?" Randy guessed as he blew on Hannah's belly.

"No, this video tape. I heard Mom and Dad arguing about it last night so I snuck down and got it."

"Hey, that was pretty sneaky." Randy smiled.

"If you keep this up, you could actually turn into a person," Brad grinned.

I laughed. "Thanks, I wanna be a person!"

I turned on the video and it was about Dad at the hardware store. Harry was writing something down and Dad was in front of the desk. It just seemed like any other time that Dad was at the store so what had he done? Both Randy and Mark were watching with interest and Randy rocked Hannah.

"When Jill's talking about psychology, she's the big bopper of boredom."

"Whoa. Mom watched this and Dad's still alive?" Brad asked.

The door opened but I didn't hear Dad come in the house, so we watched the TV and Hannah was happily sleeping.

"Well, the night is still young," Randy whispered to Brad and Dad walked down.

Dad took Hannah from Randy and was glaring down at both of them with anger, but she was sleeping in his arms.

"Hey, shut that off, you shouldn't be watching it," Dad glared at us and took it out while still cradling Hannah in his arms.

"Why?" We looked at him.

"It's private adult stuff. You wouldn't understand."

"What's not to understand? You're making fun of Mom," Randy shrugged.

"I'm not making fun of Mom. I'm making fun of my wife," Dad frowned.

"Dad, they're the same person."

"Then why isn't she talking to you?" I looked at him.

"You're starting to act a lot like Brad and Randy."

"It's disrespectful to say anything about anyone when they're not around or when a camera is rolling."

…

I walked in and saw the boys head upstairs. Tim put Hannah in her playpen since she was sleeping and I sighed, walking towards him. It was still pretty heated since the fight we had last night and we were both angry. Well, my anger had died down, but I wasn't sure about his.

"Jill, I'm really sorry about the stuff on this tape," Tim showed me the tape.

"You are?" I looked at him.

"You know how I am. I started getting laughs. I got on a roll. When I get like that, I don't think about what I'm saying."

"What you said about my speech was humiliating, but what really got to me was that you put me down for talking about psychology."

"I didn't mean that."

"Tim, come on. Do you think I don't notice the way your eyes glaze over when I talk about it? I know you think it's a bunch of gobbledegook, but I love it. I'm juggling my life around this so I can make it happen. When you demean it, it hurts me."


	27. Quibbling Siblings (November 14, 1994)

"Hey, good job, Dad!" Brad grinned as he walked in.

I had gotten back from a good Tool Time and now we had some down time. Jill was cooking dinner and I wasn't sure where the other kids were. Well, Hannah was playing over in her playpen, playing with one of her rattles. Still, the kids were free to roam the house or the neighborhood until Jill called them to eat for supper. Anyways, I walked over and picked up Hannah who babbled at me.

"Hello," I kissed Jill who smiled and kissed back. Hannah cooed and grinned at seeing her mother.

"How was school?" I asked with a smile as I put Hannah in her Jolly Jumper.

"It was great! I got my first A," Jill smiled.

"Congratulations! Well, that goes on the refrigerator!"

"No. No, Tim. This is a paper on abnormal sexuality."

"Put it up in the bedroom."

"Not only did I get an A, I got the highest grade in the class. Everyone was mad at me because I wrecked the curve."

"I'm very proud of you! Your first A! I'm still waiting for mine."

The phone rang and Brad ran to answer it, probably expecting it was Ashley. Like most teenagers, Brad spent hours on the phone talking to his friends and girlfriend. I stood by Jill and laughed softly at seeing Hannah be over the moon. She adored that Jolly Jumper but in a few months, she wouldn't need it. She'd be able to crawl and soon walk.

Brad handed me the phone and I took it while Jill went over to nurse Hannah. Most babies self-weaned off breastfeeding by a year old, so we weren't worried. After all, Hannah was only five months, plus she was only eating soft foods like fruit.

"Hey. Al. What's up? Oh, that's too bad. I know how much that guy meant to you. No, don't worry about tomorrow. I've got it covered. I can do it myself. Bye."

"What happened?" Jill walked over with Hannah in her arms.

"Al's favorite bingo caller died. He said his last words were 'B-11 and G, I think I'm having a heart attack.'"

"Oh, that's awful," Jill looked at me as she was cuddling Hannah.

"Hey, Dad, since Al's not gonna be there, do you think I could be your assistant?" Brad looked hopefully at me.

"You mean you take Al's place?"

"Yeah. I know a lot about tools and I can say, "I don't think so, Tim"."

Jill walked upstairs to change Hannah and that just left Brad and me. It was a tough decision, but I had no reason to say no, aside from the fact that he'd miss school. It wouldn't make Randy or Mark (Hannah wouldn't know) jealous. I leaned toward saying yes at this point.

"It's in the afternoon. Would you miss any important classes like shop?"

"Nah, just history and math."

"In that case, all right!"

…...

I walked in with Brad, not noticing that Randy was on the couch. We'd just gotten the script and now we were getting ready to look at it together. Mark was upstairs doing homework and Hannah was napping upstairs. So, that just left Brad, Randy and me, but I wanted time alone with Brad.

"First, Heidi introduces us. We tell them it's craft week and begin the project."

"The best part is I get to use the scroll saw all by myself."

"No, no, no, no. The best part is I get to work side by side with my eldest son. Tool Dad and Tool Son. Now—hey, hey, hey! Could you turn that junk down?"

Randy turned it off and frowned at me. "It's not junk, Dad. It's heavy metal."

"Are they banging their heads while getting their teeth drilled?"

"Cool, you saw the video!"

"Randy, stop bothering us. We're trying to prepare for tomorrow's Tool Time."

"What do you mean "we"?"

"Al won't be there so I'm gonna be Dad's new assistant."

Randy stormed off and I went back to working with Brad. While I didn't know what his problem was, I figured Jill probably would. She had a tighter bond with Randy than I did and always had. We just didn't have the same interests. He cared very little for tools, cars and sports. He preferred other things.

…

The family sat down to watch precious Brad be on Tool Time while I could care less and wanted to work on reading a book. Lucky Hannah was napping, but I was forced to watch Brad get the limelight. It was always either about Brad or Mark. It never was about me and that felt unfair. So, I'd watch, I just wouldn't be happy.

" _Does everybody know what time it is?"_ Heidi was on stage and I sighed.

" _Tool Time!"_ The audience yelled.

" _Welcome to Tool Time. I am Tim the Tool Man Taylor and we have a special treat for you! Al isn't here! Got a special guest assistant for you! Please welcome my oldest son, Brad "The Tool Boy" Taylor!"_

" _Hi!"_ Brad waved and I sighed.

" _Well it's craft week here on Tool Time and we're doing our salute to scroll saws. We're gonna show you how to use a Binford 6100 scroll saw. Brad, why don't you tell us what a scroll saw can be used for?"_

" _It's used for cutting out intricate patterns in wood."_

" _Right. You can out patterns in coat racks, hat racks, pipe racks or Tyrannosaurus racks. What manly design are you cutting out?"_

" _A heart for my girlfriend, Ashley."_

 _Oh please,_ I thought to myself very annoyed. Brad's just being arrogant and I really had no interest in watching this anymore. I wanted to get a head start on a book report I had coming, but no. We had to be this happy family and watch our precious Brad on Tool Time.

" _Now, we'll be using a number nine medium tooth blade in our saw. Welcome to the Scroll Saw Grand Prix starring championship driver, Brad Taylor. He was in pole position in his first cut. He keeps his fingers away from the blade from advice of his crew chief, "Three Fingers" Morgan. The finish line checkered flag!"_

" _Aren't you gonna trace your design?"_

" _When you've been scrolling as long as I have, you don't need to waste time tracing. Now, I want you to be my commentator."_

" _Welcome to the Scroll Saw 500! Uh-oh! All the other scrollers are leaving the track! It's up to Tim Taylor to finish the race! All he has to do is finish the heart and the victory's his. I bet my dad's gonna make a great-looking heart. He's at the finish line!"_

" _Doesn't it look great?"_

" _It looks more like a kidney than a heart."_

" _Well, yes it does. A heart says "I love you" and a kidney says, "I gotta go!". So do we! We'll be right back after these messages from Binford. I want to thank our special guest, Brad Taylor, who filled Al's tool belt admirably."_

"Brad, you were wonderful. I'm so sorry I had that test and couldn't come watch," Mom smiled

I was angry on the inside but I faked a smile so that I wouldn't get in trouble. Let's all cheer for the favorite son of the family. Let's ignore the fact that you have two other sons at home plus a daughter. It's always about Brad. Dad picked him to do everything and never asked if I wanted to do anything. It was so unfair!

"One day you'll have your own star on the Tool Time Walk of Fame. Right near mine and way ahead of Al's."

Let's just throw a parade for Brad, I thought angrily.

"I'll get it," I went to get the ringing phone but Brad walked in front of me, stopping me from being able to.

"Don't bother. I'm sure it's for me. It's probably Heidi."

"Yeah, she wants to know what time she can come babysit you."

"Hi, Ashley. You loved the show?"

"Not as much as Brad loves Heidi!"

"I'm gonna pound you, you little punk. Not you, Ashley. I'll call you later."

Brad shoved me but went upstairs after Hannah was crying. Since I was evidently in trouble, I wasn't able to go comfort her. That was the only thing that would calm me down right about now. I wanted to hold her and rock in the rocking chair. Brad even had to take my favorite thing from me. He'd try and wedge his way in so that he could even take Hannah from me.

"What are you doing?" Dad demanded.

"Me? He's doing all the shoving."

"Cause you're acting like a jerk."

"Tim." Mom seemed to be taking my side which I was grateful for. "Randy, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"You should be happy for him! This is a big deal for Brad!"

"Why don't I just throw him a parade? His head's so big he could be on a float!"

….

After Randy stormed off, I felt bad for my middle son. I knew how hard it was to be a middle child and everyone seeming to ignore your requests. The oldest was getting the most responsibilities and attention while the youngest was the favorite. That part didn't seem to bother Randy. Hannah seemed to be blameless in Randy's eyes and nothing she did could make him mad. Still, he was hurting and Tim was thinking he was just being a jerk.

"So what do you think is going on with Randy?" I picked up a dirty bottle and headed to the sink to wash it.

"There's nothing going on. He's just being Mr. Obnoxious."

"Maybe he's reacting to his equally obnoxious brother, Mr. Hot for Heidi."

"What we have here honey is a case of sibling rivalry. I might just know as much about psychology as you do."

"What causes sibling rivalry?"

"Having more than one kid."

"It's competition between siblings to get the love and attention from their parents."

"He's acting like this to get our attention?"

"No, he's acting like this to get your attention."

"Why does he just want my attention?"

I sighed and looked at him. Sometimes, Tim was a bit daft, but hey, I loved him and this wasn't always obvious to some people. Tim too was a middle child, but he didn't seem to care either way about it. Randy was more sensitive than he was, but he was just like him personality wise. The two were two peas in a pod when it came to telling jokes.

"Cause you took Brad on Tool Time. Randy's feeling a little left out."

"He wouldn't want to go on Tool Time. He doesn't like tools."

"This goes way beyond Tool Time. You spend more time with Brad than you do Randy or Mark."

"No, I don't."

"You work on the hot rod together and talking about what Brad's first car will be! Maybe consider how you'd feel if your dad spent all his time with Jeff and didn't spend any with you or your other brothers."

I walked off to comfort Randy and thought about him. He was a bit sarcastic, but he had a big heart and once you knew him, he was super sweet. He had a special love for his sister that only a big brother could. I wanted Tim to realize how bad he was feeling right now.

"Randy, can I come in?" I knocked after holding Hannah.

"Why? Do I have to bow down to Brad?" Randy quipped and sighed sadly. "He won't even let me have a turn holding Hannah."

I sat by him and rubbed his back. "No, honey, I wanted to see how you were. I'll go talk to Brad and you get as much time as you want with her."

"I'm sorry for being a jerk. I just felt left out. Dad always asks Brad to do stuff."

I hugged him. "I know, honey. I talked to your father about it. I think a little certain sister wants her big Bubby."

Randy reached for her and let her cuddle into him. I smiled at the two of them and walked off to go find Brad.

….

"Bye, Mom," Brad grabbed his coat and I stopped him.

"Hey, wait. Where are you going?" I looked at him.

I needed to talk to Brad so that he understood that Randy was hurting right now. Neither Brad nor Tim seemed to get that Randy felt left out. I wanted them to see that he wasn't "just being a jerk". He was feeling left out and was in need of some attention from Tim.

"To the mall. I'm gonna meet a lot of my friends. They're probably just gonna tell me how great I am."

"I know you were a guest star on a low-rated cable show for half an hour, but don't you think that you're getting a little puffed up?"

"I can't help it if everybody loved me."

"I don't think Randy loved you so much."

"Randy's just being a jerk, Mom. He made fun of everything I did."

"That's because you got to be on TV and he didn't."

"You're saying Randy's jealous of me?"

"Yeah."

"Cool!"

"How do you feel when Randy comes home with a really great report card and waves that under your nose?"

"Not so good."

….

After talking to Jill (and Wilson), I knew I needed to talk to Randy. Earlier, I thought he was just being a jerk, but he wasn't. I spent most of my time at home with Brad and that wasn't fair to Randy (or Mark or Hannah). All four needed my attention and I needed to equal it out fairly. I didn't want Randy to resent me for the rest of his and my life.

I knocked on the door and walked in. "Hey Randy, how are things in your world? What are you doing?"

"Just finishing up some biology homework."

"Need any help?"

"Nope."

"I came in here to talk about what's going on. Something's going on and I'm pretty sure it's my fault. If it seems like I spend more time with Brad than you, it's because we have similar interests. I wish I was interested in the same things that you were, but because that doesn't mean I love Brad more. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Randy walked over to his dresser. I looked at him and felt sad. How was he already turning thirteen this coming February? It seemed like yesterday that we had two toddlers in the house. That was a crazy time. We had one that was potty-training and he was still in diapers at that time. He was bigger now and didn't need help much anymore and it made me sad.

"You know, out of you and your brothers, I figured you and I were the most alike."

"You and Brad are the most alike."

"We share interests, but you and I have similar personalities. If a guy's walking with his fly down and I can't come up with a joke, I know you'll back me up."

"You gotta make the fly joke."

"So what is that thing?" I pointed to the computer.

"It's a disk with Zombie Sneak Attack on it."

"Zombies? I love zombies. Can two play this game?"

"Yeah."

"Let's play. What are we waiting for?"

"It takes a minute to boot up. It's got that L30 chip in it. Not much power."

"Are you saying you want this thing to go faster? I can make it go faster."

"Why don't I save you the trouble and throw it against the wall?"

….

Randy walked down and seemed calm after his anger this morning. I knew that he had a right to be since I was being a mega jerk towards him. I had crossed the line with Hannah since he and she had a special bond. Either way, I felt bad for being arrogant earlier, but I was happy.

"Don't you ever get tired of watching this?" Randy asked calmly.

"Every time I watch that tape, I find something else I love about myself."

"I'm sorry for being a jerk earlier. I just felt like I was being overshadowed but I'm fine now, especially after getting to calm Hannah to sleep."

"I'm sorry for being arrogant. Do you really think I stunk?"

"No, you did terrific, I was just angry at the time."

"Thanks! You wanna play some zombie sneak attack?"

"Dad made a few adjustments and zombies won't be coming back from the dead anymore thanks to him."

I laughed and walked with him. "We could play video games?"

"That works for me. Mark's being annoying anyways."

We laughed and headed to the controller to start playing Super Mario together.


	28. Dinner with Wilson (November 22, 1994)

"Welcome to Tool Time! Over the years, we've received mail from astute visitors that have noticed that both Tim and I are left handed," Al smiled.

Today was just another day of me taking Hannah to Tool Time. There was nothing out of the ordinary aside from the fact that this was starting Thanksgiving break. There would be no new Tool Times after this until next week. The reason for that was obviously Thanksgiving. Anyways, I had Hannah sitting on my lap and she was babbling at me.

"That's why we're doing a salute to lefties," Dad grinned and gave a small wave to Hannah who babbled at him.

"Perhaps that's why there's so many derogatory phrases about us lefties."

"Such as left-back, left-out. When I use my left-handed scissors with the blade on top, I can now cut with confidence," Dad started cutting the paper.

He cut it into the word "Tool Time" and we clapped. Well, I did the best I could with a sleeping baby. This was around Hannah's naptime and she'd usually sleep since she was a baby.

"And here we have left-handed pruning shears. If you go with these, your pruning will go a lot faster."

"If you go with prunes, you'll move a lot faster. Let's show the audience how fast two left-handed people can prune."

Klaus started some music and I laughed, rocking Hannah. If I kept rocking her, she'd stay asleep and stay quiet for Tool Time. A couple of times, I had to take her out and sit behind the stage since she was being too noisy. Mom told me that in the future, that was a punishment for when she didn't behave.

"Looks like I won," Al grinned.

Dad frowned but looked towards Hannah sleeping and his smile widened. Like Brad and me, Dad had a special love for her. She was his only daughter and had to be protected at all costs. Still, we thought of her as a warrior. Though she was a princess, she was a warrior.

….

"Tim, it stinks even worse than before!" I plug my nose and scoop up Hannah.

With a whimper, Hannah started crying from the smell and buried her nose into my shoulder, starting to settle when she did that. Most babies preferred the smell of their mother over any other smell. Especially one that was so pungent and smelled worse than being sprayed by a skunk.

"Cause I knocked some holes in the floor," Tim had a bandana covering his mouth and I felt that he was lucky.

"Did you catch the dead rat?" I asked as I rocked Hannah.

"No, but I'm hot on his tail. I'll take care of the smell. I got industrial disinfectant with the zesty smell of lemon."

I sighed and the smell was worse than before. With a whimper, Hannah was trying to muffle the smell, so I cuddled her close and she seemed to calm down. Though I was grateful to Tim for trying to help, I really preferred that he stop spraying the spray, but I couldn't control him.

"Hi, can I help you?" I plugged my nose but had Hannah snuggled into my shoulder on one side, trying to hide into me.

"I'm the bank appraiser from Royal Oaks Bank." The guy sniffed it and I made a sympathetic face while rocking Hannah. "Right now, I'm thinking low."

I looked at him and was trying to calm Hannah down. She wasn't colicky but the smell was bothering her poor little nose.

"We have a dead rat in the house. I think you have the wrong house," I kissed Hannah's head and rocked her.

"508 Glenview Road?"

"This is 510 Glenview. 508 is right next door."

The guy left and I walked towards Tim with Hannah who was crying into me for the smell to go away. The poor baby wouldn't stop crying and it wasn't colic which we had an idea of how to soothe. Until we got out the dead rat, we couldn't make the house smell any nicer.

"Why would he have his house appraised?" Tim asked and bounced Hannah on his hip, who was crying from the smell.

"I don't know. People do it all the time. Maybe he's refinancing."

Hannah was crying so Randy took her upstairs and let her cuddle into him. She stopped as they got upstairs and I sighed in relief. With Hannah having stopped crying, Tim and I could freely discuss Wilson's problem. We hoped he wasn't moving but that was foolish. Wilson was a grown adult who could do whatever he pleased and we knew that.

"Or maybe he wants to know what it's worth so he can sell it."

"I don't think he'd sell the house without telling us. I hope he's not having financial problems." 

….

"Why do we have to get all dressed up?" Mark complained.

Brad, Randy, Mark and I were in suits that we'd wear to church. Jill was in a red button up shirt with a a black shirt under it and black slacks. Hannah was in a cute red dress that made her look just like Jill.

I held Hannah on my hip and looked at Mark. "Our parents made us now we're making you, Mark."

Hannah was teething on a teething ring and seemed blissfully happy. That was the thing about babies—they were usually happy. Most knew that their caretaker was going to take care of them so they were over the moon. Hannah was like that. She loved when I put her on my feet while laying down and acted like an airplane.

"Let me find out while Wilson's having his house appraised. It might be a sensitive subject and you don't know how to be subtle." Jill looked at me.

"My middle name's Subtle," I grin.

"And your first name's 'Not'." Jill smirked and kissed Hannah's cheek.

"Well, hi-de-ho Taylor lads," Wilson opened the door and Hannah cooed at him with a happy look. "Welcome to my humble haven."

"How much does a haven like this go for?" I asked.

Jill elbowed me which caused me to wince but Hannah hadn't noticed.

"I brought you a pumpkin pie for dessert," Jill handed him the pie.

"Thank you, Jill. This smells lemony."

We walked in and looked around. It looked like it had last time we were here. It was still curious to Hannah whose eyes were wider than the doorknob. The things babies found curious were stuff that we'd find boring. Still, they were learning and didn't know what certain things were.

"What's in the tropical room?" I asked as I peeked in.

"Myna bird," Wilson answered and Hannah clapped her hands at the bird.

"It's got a beak on it, doesn't it?" I asked the bird bit my finger. "Wilson!"

"Mozart, let him go." 

The bird let go and I followed Wilson, with Hannah chewing on her stuffed lion. I knew she was pretty tired, so I figured she'd fall asleep on the way home. Things like this wore babies out—which was why we kept doing it. Still, it was her first Thanksgiving and it was cute.

"I never noticed this mask," I grinned at Wilson.

Hannah buried her face into my shoulder, terrified of the mask.

"Yeah, me either. I never pictured you as much of a hockey goalie."

"Actually, Brad, that's from a tribe in Uganda. It was a ceremonial mask that was used when a young man was circumcised."

That seemed to startle Brad so he had no further questions and we walked towards the table where there were six placemats and a high chair by one of them. It looked very much like painted pictures from the first Thanksgiving and it looked nice. This part seemed much better to Hannah.

"It looks wonderful! You went all out!" Jill smiled. I put Hannah in the highchair.

"I tried to re-create the first Thanksgiving. I brought out my traditional Algonquin artifacts."

I shook my head. "You overcooked it, Wilson."

"That's Indian corn, Tim. Make yourselves comfortable. Turkey will be done in ten minutes."

"Do you think I could check out the waterfall?" Brad grinned.

"No, but if you want, you can play with my Orient Express trainset."

I nodded approval (Jill did too) and Randy scooped up Hannah. The kids headed to where the trainset was and Jill and I sat down at the table. With the kids out of the way, Jill and I could talk to Wilson about the appraiser. I knew that it wasn't our business, but we didn't want to lose our favorite neighbor.

"Hey, Wilson. Speaking of move—trains move, people move." Jill elbowed me in the ribs and I grunted. "I think my rib just moved."

"Wilson, these hors d'oeuvres are amazing," Jill and I started eating them.

"That's eel pie," Wilson told.

Jill and I spit it out when Wilson wasn't watching and I wasn't about to give Hannah any. For one, it was too crunchy, but it looked disgusting.

"Do you need cash or are you moving?" I blurted out as Jill glared at me.

"Very subtle, Tim," Jill frowned.

"Why didn't you just ask me in the first place?" Wilson asked.

"You know us. We're a couple that doesn't like to pry."

"Well, I was afraid that it would put a crimp in the holidays, but since you brought it up, I'm moving."

"Why?" Jill looked at him.

"It was very difficult and I did some soul searching. It's just something that I feel like I have to do."

"I hope nothing's wrong."

"No, nothing's wrong. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to go to the Mindo-Nambillo forest of Western Ecuador."

"Ecuador? We all have that dream but no one runs off and does it. What are you gonna do there?"

"I'm gonna renew my spirit, fill my soul and discover my place in the universe."

With that happy thought, we sat down and started eating. It was an awkward dinner and one that was a less than memorable Thanksgiving. Hannah was blissfully unaware of what was going on. Randy was helping feed Hannah and was acting like a bodyguard toward Mark. It was good to see Mark be protected by Brad and Randy since they weren't always nice to him.

…...

"I can't stand that smell anymore. I'm gonna get that rat," Tim put on gloves and started reaching in one of the holes to get the rat out.

Randy had taken Hannah upstairs so we were once again kid free. That meant that we could get the rat out without hearing crying. Well, there may be crying, but not for that reason. I felt my eyes start to tear up after hearing that Wilson was moving. He felt like a second father to me and like a grandfather to the kids. He was always willing to listen and he never complained about babysitting.

"I just can't believe he's leaving. Why would he pack up and go like that?" I asked as I put away leftovers in the fridge and put clean bottles in the fridge.

"You heard him. He's going to Kumbayah-Gumbah to rekindle his spirit and refill his soul."

"He's always been there whenever we needed him. You can be honest with him and he never judges you. I always felt like a member of the family."

Tim was reaching and looking for the dead rat as I watched him.

"I like him better than most of your family," Tim reached in. "Oh, oh, I got it."

"Are you sure it's not another glove?"

"Here's a real smelly rat. Grab the bag."

I grabbed it and held it in as Tim found the rat and dropped it in the garbage bag. With a grossed out look, I twisted it shut and gagged at what I was holding. It was worse than the smell of a dirty diaper (yet I was used to smelling that). I gagged and Tim grabbed the bag, taking it outside.

"I just don't wanna lose my best friend," Tim walked back in. "Who am I gonna talk to when things bother me?"

I indicated myself loudly. "Gee, who could you talk to?"

"I can't tell you about what's bothering me."

"Why not?"

"Most of the time, it's about you."

"It's not gonna be the same without him."

….

"Hi there, Wilson," I was painting the side of the house while Jill had taken the kids to see a movie.

Hannah was cuddled against my back and she slept happily. It was fun to get time with my daughter by myself. Nothing and no one could take her place in my heart. I was a proud dad and everyone knew that. I constantly bragged about my boys and my little girl who was advanced.

"What are you and the youngest Taylor doing?" Wilson asked as Hannah was starting to wake up.

"Patching up the hole I think the rat got into," I told. "What are you doing?"

"While it's warm enough, I'm trying to patch up some cracks in my driveway, but the cement seems too lumpy."

"I'll take a look at it for you," I walked over. "So did Mr. Happy and Mrs. Go Lucky make you an offer yet?"

"No, but they seemed really interested."

"That's really too thick. Give me your hose and I'll show you how to thin it out."

"Tim, would you mind listening while I ruminate?"

"No, just do it by the bush by the gazebo."

"No, I mean, can I use you as a sound board?"

That made a lot more sense since I didn't see Wilson as the type of person to pee on someone's yard. He was too sophisticated for that. How he managed to listen to me and not get annoyed was a miracle. He even gave me advice and spelled things out for me that Jill would probably get.

"Tim, the last few days I've been thinking. Do you remember how I told you and Jill a long time ago that I was married?" Wilson asked as I handed Hannah a toy. "And that she died before I moved in here?"

"Yeah, you didn't say much else, so we figured it was hard to talk about."

"It still is, Tim. We would have been married this month for 25 years. You see, Tim, I met Kathryn in Mindo-Nambillo. We made a vow to return for our silver anniversary."

"So that's why you wanna move back there."

"You see, Tim, my memories of Kathryn are starting to fade. It's like I'm losing her all over again and I can't let that happen."

"She sounds real special, Wilson."

"Yes, indeed. She was one of a kind. She was the kindest person you ever met."

"When you talk about her, doesn't it seem like she's still here?"

"It's been a long time since I've spoken to anyone about her."

"I'm reminded of what one of the great thinkers of our time said. Mario Andretti. Just as he retired from racing, he told people you don't need the ignition in the car to keep the thrill of racing alive. You just gotta keep in touch with your pit crew."

"How does that apply to me?"

"You don't need to move to keep the memory alive. You just need to tell those that are here, like Jill and me. I might not understand every word, but I'll listen."

"I'll take you up on that offer."

"You're not gonna move?"

Wilson shook his head and reached to hold Hannah. Since Hannah considered him to be family too, she had no problem with him holding her. She cooed happily and had the cutest look on her face .


	29. Old Shop Teacher (November 30, 1994)

I walked down and smiled at my family. Hannah was sitting in her Exersaucer, playing with toys while Brad and Randy were setting the table. Mark was helping Jill cook and it was about time for Mr. Leonard to come. It was silly, but I looked up to this man plus the last impression I made was a gash on his forehead. I was the only one dressed up but that's okay.

"So, how do I look?" I asked as Hannah was starting to whine from being in the toy thing and was now bored.

"Oh, you're so cute! You're trying to impress your teacher," Mom smiled.

I picked up Hannah and laughed softly.

"Dad, if you misbehave, do you think Mr. Leonard's gonna give you detention?"

I fake-laughed but Randy and Brad found it to be really amusing. I had been their ages once and I knew what it was like. It was fun to poke and prod until you got in trouble then it wasn't as fun anymore. Those two were like the reincarnations of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

"Yeah, Brad, that's exactly what he's gonna do," I fake cry. "It wouldn't hurt you guys to show me a little respect. Would it, my warrior princess?"

Hannah babbled and hugged my neck. I walked up to the door and opened it. Mr. Leonard looked the same as when I graduated high school. Well, it wasn't exactly the same since he was twenty years older. His hair was all white and he had wrinkles on his face. Since she was in a stranger anxiety phase, she only liked certain people—the ones she saw daily—Al, Jill, the boys, Wilson, Ilene and me.

"Mr. Leonard!" I smiled and adjusted Hannah so that she was on my hip.

"Tim Taylor!" He smiled and grinned at Hannah who cooed at him to see if he was a friend or a foe.

"How are you? How are you doing? Boys, come line up," I told and Randy took Hannah willingly.

She babbled happily at being with her bubby and Randy was equally overjoyed. It was as if the two were meant for each other. They weren't soulmates, but they were definitely best friends.

"These are my kids. My youngest son, Mark, my middle son, Randy, my oldest son, Brad and my baby girl, Hannah."

Jill walked in with a smile and Hannah babbled happily at seeing her mother come in and walk towards her. With a smile, Jill took Hannah and rubbed her back, rocking her to soothe her. A mother's touch seemed to always work on the kids, especially when they were babies.

"My lovely wife Jill. Works a good lathe but not much of a welder," I smiled and chuckled softly at seeing Hannah's sore gum be massaged by Jill.

"I'm great with a fire extinguisher," Jill laughed and Hannah drooled.

"Not too bad with a putdown," Mr. Leonard smiled.

"Tim has been talking about you for so long. He even mentioned you on our honeymoon," I laughed.

"What I said was if Mr. Leonard had built the bed, it wouldn't have collapsed."

"Mr. Leonard," Brad looked at him. "Dad says you're the greatest shop teacher of all time!"

Jill put Hannah over her shoulder and started rubbing her back with a smile. Randy helped by singing softly and sitting by Jill. While I was embarrassed, I also felt that it was true and I wished that my boys could've had him for a teacher. They're good with tools just like their old man.

"You can stop kissing up. I passed you," Mr. Leonard looked at me.

We walked to the couch and Randy sat on the edge of it, with Jill sitting in it and rocking Hannah to sleep. The room was quiet enough for her to sleep in, but she didn't like naps as much as she used to. In about a couple years, she wouldn't like naps at all anymore so we'd discard them.

"How'd you like Tool Time?" I asked.

"I loved it, Timmy, I loved it. You'll never know how shocked I was to turn on the telly and there was your ugly kisser."

"Surprised I had a show?"

"No, surprised you're still alive."

"I'm telling you, he gave us a lot of scares."

"You too?"

"So, you're retired. How do you like it?"

"It stinks and I hate it. The only good thing was the golf clubs they gave me."

"I never pictured you as much of a golfer."

"I'm not. I melted them down and made a lamp."

"I melt down gifts all the time!"

"And not always on purpose."

….

We sat at the table and started eating. Hannah's highchair was over by Randy's chair and mine. Jill and I were at our usual spots and so were the boys. We had put out another chair so that Mr. Leonard could sit down, It was like we were a big family except Mr. Leonard wasn't part of it.

"Your father's a genuine original. Even I can't explain this one. Your father's gluing a table together and somehow, a piece of the table gets stuck to his head."

"There's a mistake I didn't let happen again," I laughed.

"Dad, didn't you—?" Mark looked at me.

I shoved a cookie in Mark's mouth and he got the cue that he was supposed to be quiet.

"Boys, it's time for you to go finish your homework. I'll bring Hannah up to put her to bed in a few minutes. Would you clear your plates?" Jill told.

"We wanna hear more stories about Timmy!" Randy put Hannah in her Exersaucer and let her play.

"I've got a million. Once you've done your homework, I'll tell you more." Mr. Leonard smiled and Randy bent down to play with Hannah.

"Brad, don't forget to practice your saxophone," Jill reminded.

"Mom, why do I have to practice so much?" Brad whined.

"Because practice makes perfect. You ever heard of Charlie Parker? Charlie Parker was one of the greatest saxophonists of all time."

"My teacher played a record of his. He's really great."

"Before he started practicing 16 hours a day, he used to sound like a foghorn. Ships used to dock at his front door at night."

Brad ran upstairs and Hannah was laughing in delight. She found baby toys on her Exersaucer and seemed overjoyed. I always felt jealous of babies. They had no worries besides having their needs met. They were blissfully unaware of the world and its problems.

"Do you remember your first semester? The thing with the acetylene torch?"

"I burned a little hole in the principal's office. He was fuming, literally.

"He wanted you out of shop class permanently, as did the schoolboard and PTA. I told them all, "Thank you, now go shove it in your ear."

"Why did you stick up for Tim like that?"

"Because I knew you were going to be great and I was right. When I could get you to calm down and stop setting things on fire, you showed some real talent."

"Why'd you get out of teaching?"

"I had no choice, Timmy. I taught for 30 years and they put me out to pasture."

"They can't replace a legend! Oh wait, I have a great idea! On Monday's show I can do a salute to shop class and you can show everyone how to do a toolbox. Quick as a wink!"

Jill had taken Hannah upstairs for bed and I grunted.

"What was that?"

"You never heard the grunt. I learned that in college."

"You got into college?"

….

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as I held Hannah on my lap.

Today was a special Tool Time. Dad was having Mr. Leonard on to show how to make a tool box, I wasn't good with my hands (Brad was), so I planned to take something other than shop when I had to choose. It would probably be cooking or art since I loved to cook.

"Tool Time!" We yelled.

"That's right! Here's the star of the show! Tim the Tool Man Taylor!"

Dad walked out with Al and Hannah cooed at him, reaching towards him with a big grin on her face. It seemed crazy that she was now six months old. Six months ago, we were blessed with the best thing that could happen for this family.

"Welcome to Tool Time! We have a very special guest today! Tim's old shop teacher!" Al grinned.

"He's the one who taught me everything I know," Dad grinned.

"Despite that, we're still happy to have him here."

"A big Tool Time welcome for the original "Tool Man" himself—my old shop teacher, Mr. Leonard!" Dad clapped as Mr. Leonard walked out.

"Nice to meet someone who knows the trials and tribulations of working with Tim. We could start our own 12-step program. Adult survivors of Tim Taylor!"

"I've got another program for you—how about Al Be Gone? Adults who fire Al."

"Boys, do we really have to review shop rules?"

Dad and Al stopped arguing and I laughed softly, pointing to where Dad was. He waved toward us and then looked at Al. Sometimes, Al and Dad acted like Brad and I did towards each other. We liked each other, but sometimes we got into silly little fights that ended up with no one winning.

"Our first project is a toolbox. It's a project that's great for young men and great nostalgia for the older tool men."

"Do you guys ever stop yapping and get to the project?"

"We have a little surprise for you. We invited some of your old shop students out here to help you and build their own projects."

There were two men I didn't recognize and there was Benny.

"We've marked our designated areas on our metal where we want to cut. I'm gonna hand my tin over to a higher authority."

"Remember to cut the notches to their proper depth."

"I'll make the cut and you tell everyone how we'll bend our notches."

"I'll tell you what—since I'm running the class I'll do the cutting?"

"You have other students who could do it."

Dad took the metal cutting scissors and that made Mr. Leonard really mad. "Don't you ever take a pair of scissors away from me."

…

I knocked on the door and Mr. Leonard gave a huff for me to come in. Walking in, I saw his garage and I was jealous. I wished my garage/tool shed was that big. If it was, I'd have as many tools as I wanted plus I had a sanctuary to go to. I knew that Jill would never go for it. So, I would settle for the one I had or I'd lose more tools, which was a good deal.

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Leonard huffed as I walked in.

"What did I do wrong? Was it the measurements or the spot-welds?"

"You drove an hour and a half to ask me why a toolbox you built 20 years ago was a piece of crap?"

"Three hours. It would've been one and a half had you a porch light that worked. I wanna talk about what happened at Tool Time."

"Boy, I must've looked like a real jerk up there."

"You were right, Timmy. I can't do it anymore. I've been trying all day. My brains tells me I can do it, but my hands just won't work."

"I have the opposite problem. My hands work, but my brain doesn't."

"When I was in high school, I caught anything that came near me. Now I can't even cut a piece of stupid metal."

I looked at him and felt like I was encouraging one of the boys. Sometimes, even adults needed a pick me up and that's what Mr. Leonard needed. He needed someone to tell him what he needed to hear. He was worth more than just a pair of hands and so was I. Someday, I wouldn't be Tim the Tool Man, I would just be Tim the Man or Tim the Dad.

"You're more than just a pair hands."

"You're more than just a pair of hands."

"Oh, don't start that garbage."

"You were a good teacher because you stood up for guys like me. You made us believe that we could do something. When I called those guys to be on Tool Time, they just lined up. A lot of guys wanted to do this because you made an impression on them. Look at Brad. The Charlie Parker story? The kid won't leave the saxophone alone now!"

"I've got a piece of sheet metal that's already etched. Let's see if you can do this."


	30. Mistakes and Makeups (December 6, 1994)

"Thank you. Welcome back to our segment on stain removal. When talking about stains, most people think of stains in clothes - food, grease."

Yet again, here Hannah and I were, sitting in the audience, watching Dad. It was an average day after school at the time Tool Time was being filmed. School got out early due to a blizzard so Dad brought us over to watch. Lately, Hannah preferred to be mobile than to nap. So, we had an active baby in the house now.

"Hush, Hannie," I told and kissed her head. "Yes, that is Daddy."

"And the kind Tim is most familiar with, bloodstains."

"We're not talking about stains your wife gets out with cotton balls and club soda, We're talking about man-sized stains. Soot and grime that's on the buildings."

"For stains like these, you need better remedies - steam, sandblasters, solvents, high-pressure washers."

"Larry, follow Al and me outside."

Dad nodded that I could come (and bring Hannah) and come watch. It'd keep her happy plus she'd get the chance to see Dad during the show.

"We're gonna use high pressure to get the soot and grime off our building. We're gonna be removing some graffiti. Aren't we, Hannah?" Dad tickled Hannah's chin.

"Actually, Tim, there's no graffiti on our building."

"There is now. Now, Al, l did this to show the audience how to remove graffiti. Do you think the pressure washer will take it off? l sure hope so, for Al's sake."

I laughed at the graffiti I saw and it made Hannah laugh too. It seemed that us Taylors had similar tastes in humor. It wasn't a bad thing, usually. We just found a lot of the same things funny. Anyways, Dad held Hannah and she pulled at his shirt and playfully pouted.

"Al is a gal''? Why are you calling me a gal?

"Cause it rhymes with Al. And I couldn't remember if weenie ended with y or ie

"All right, enough is enough. I am tired of being embarrassed all the time.

"Anyway, we're gonna remove this with Binford's 6100 series power washer."

"Now, normally these have about 11 horses, but I added a few extra ponies. Heidi, start her up. Stand back. Just like butter."

"Well, that worked just great. Now ''Al's a gal'' is in there permanently and what are you gonna do about that?"

Add ''For a good time, call''."

I laughed and that was the end of the show for today. I had a project I had to get started working on, but I loved taking Hannah to Tool Time. Well, Dad drove us, but I was the one who got to babysit her. That just overjoyed me and I loved that I could play with her too.

….

"What is this? You're supposed to stay here and help paint the sets for Mark's pageant. I gotta paint a whole village."

I had to paint the pageant set plus I had a six-month-old baby to keep track of. Marie had offered to take Hannah for the night, though, to lighten my load. I was thankful and agreed to having Marie take her for the night. Though I'd miss my baby, it'd make things a whole lot easier.

"We'd love to stay and help you. Unfortunately, we've got that gosh darn hockey game this afternoon." Randy's eyes had mischief in them.

"Well, what time is this "gosh darn" hockey game gonna be over?" I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrow.

"Well, what time are you gonna be done painting?" Brad teased as I shook my head and looked at them.

"Well, if that's your attitude, I just don't know if I want you to help me after all."

"All right!" They walked off.

"Thanks. Thanks a lot." I sighed.

That just left Tim, Mark and me to paint the set. It wouldn't be too hard since we didn't have a baby to keep track of. Tomorrow, we'd go back to normal, but today we had to speed to get the stuff done for the pageant. It was next week and so was the time that my parents were coming. Marty and Nancy with the twins were also coming so that meant six guests plus the six of us in one house. That made twelve.

"Tim, it's you and I painting sets. Can you move the hot rod out of the garage?"

"I can't go now. I'm five minutes late already at Eddie's Body Shop."

"Eddie's Auto Shop?"

"Yeah. He's having that party. The editor from Hot Rod magazine's gonna be there. I told you."

"I have this fourth grade Christmas pageant to produce. I've got one week left."

"I won't be late. I'll be home right after, Bye."

I groaned and looked at Mark. It was just Mark and me painting right now. If I had an option, the boys would be painting and I would be spending time with Hannah. I had so much work to do and I was thankful that it was winter break for college. To my relief, I didn't have any homework though.

"Mark, come on. It's just you and me now doing all this work. Will you bring the paint to the garage while I move the hot rod? I can't."

"I'm going over to Billy's."

"Right. And leave me alone here to do all the work on your pageant.

"Yep." I gave Mark a stern look and he looked down. "Oh, well, now l think about it, I'd much rather stay here with you."

….

"Mom, great game."

"Yeah. We won, two to one."

"Great, but when it's snowing you're supposed to come through the garage, not track it all over the house."

"When did it start snowing?"

"A few hours ago. Mom, didn't you notice the blizzard?"

"No. I was inside painting all day while my family was out having fun."

I kept painting and thought about Hannah's first Christmas. Aside from last year when she was in my womb, this was her first one. One that she'd experience and not have amniotic fluid droning out the sounds of a story. It was something that constantly excited me.

"Where's the hot rod?"

"The hot rod"

"You know, the thing Dad kisses every night before he goes to bed."

"I left it outside."

"Well, you covered it, right?"

"Wrong."

"It's covered now. How could I have done something so stupid?"

"When two people have been married for a long time they act like each other."

"You're not helping, Brad. We better clean this up before Dad gets home. Look, it's snow. Snow's water, water's wet. Anything wet can be dried."

"Why don't you just throw it in the dryer and set it on auto?"

"Randy, will you turn up the heat? Brad, start scooping. Dump it outside. Mark, you keep watch. Your father could be home any minute." 

We started hurriedly scooping it out and I kept worrying. While I knew Tim would never ever hit me (he strongly hated abuse), I knew he'd be pretty steamed. After the kids and I, the hot rod was the most special thing in Tim's life. He and Brad devoted three years of their life to work on it. If I had messed it up in just one day, I guaranteed I wouldn't have a happy husband.

"Dad's coming! He's really coming!" Mark yelled.

"OK, guys, guys, you get to work. I'm gonna try and stall him."

I walked in and gave a fake smile to the boys. Gees, was this how the boys felt when they got in trouble with Tim and me? I hated this feeling and it reminded me of when I was a kid and got in trouble with my parents. I felt bad for lying/

"I had one of the best days of my life. I talked with the editor from the magazine."

"Congratulations. Oh, honey, that's wonderful."

"I didn't tell you what we talked about."

"Right! Sit down and tell me. Every word, even if it takes all night."

"They're thinking of doing an article on my hot rod. He's coming in the morning! It's great news. I told him it was a cherry hot rod. It's never been out in the rain. I probably spend more time with that than l do with—never mind."

"I gotta go and tweak some stuff out."

"We haven't talked about books for awhile. My favorite book is the encyclopedia."

"Have you been hitting the eggnog a little early this year?"

"No, honey. Oh, Tim! Tim! l have a great idea. Let's go to the movies."

"I can't go to the movies.

"Tim, don't say you can't. Believe you can, you can make it happen."

"I believe you've lost your mind, honey." 

Tim walked in and gasped at seeing what his hot rod looked like. Apparently, it was worse than what we thought. The seats were covered in snow, the whole car looked like someone just dumped snow on it. That made me feel terrible and I knew he wouldn't be angry at the boys.

"My hot rod!"

"You always said you wanted a snowmobile."

"Who did this to my car?"

"Mom, do you wanna take that one? And by the way, good luck."

The boys walked out and I felt like I was about to be scolded. Where was Hannah when you needed her? If one of us was holding her, the other refused to fight since it wasn't healthy to fight in front of your brother. We hated to make the kids cry by fighting in public or at home.

"Honey, it was an accident. It wasn't snowing when l moved it outside."

"You did this? Look at the snow in here. The interior's wrecked. The carpet's wet. Look, my gauges are all fogged up."

"Couldn't you take them out and dry them off and put 'em back together? You love to take things apart and put 'em back together."

"How'd this happen?"

"I've been under a lot of pressure lately. I have the pageant and shopping and school and my parents coming next week."

Tim groaned and gave me a hard look. To him, the hot rod was extremely special so I should've treated it as such. Still, he spends more time with that then on me so maybe I felt jealous of it.

"There's no excuse for this. Why don't you admit you screwed up?

"I mean, it's not like it was my fault. If you moved the hot rod out of the garage, you would've remembered to put the cover on."

"Did I blame you when I dropped the beam on your car?"

"Yes, you did."

"And remember how lame that was?"

"Yes, I do."

I felt myself get angry and was relieved that Hannah was out of the house tonight.

"I worked on this car for three years. You send it out like a stray cat. This is like a member of the family."

"You wait a minute. Everything I ever owned, you have managed to puncture, singe, pulverize, crack, crush, melt or explode, and every time I managed to come up with the compassion to forgive you. This one time this happens, do you have the same compassion to forgive me? No! Thank you so much." 

….

"When you've the gauge dries out, you can use these towels to sop up the carpet."

"You know what? I haven't heard the word "please" all night."

"You're right. Please shut up and get back to work."

"I'm starving. I thought you said there'd be sandwiches.

"What do I look like? A deli?"

"All I'm saying is that if you were at my house sopping up a car, l would serve you a little something."

"I'm sorry. The guy's coming tomorrow and it's important. I'm worried."

I looked at Al and heaved a sigh. We only had until morning to get the car ready so it had me just a little on edge. That and I was missing Hannah. It was hard being away from the baby even if it was only for one night. I was thankful to Marie, but I missed hearing coos in the house. Having her there only would've made it worse.

I notice Al walk into the kitchen and I follow him with a sigh. Why did he need to go to the kitchen right now? I didn't want us to stop working and if I had to, I'd work on this by myself all night. While I knew this wasn't a big deal to most, it was a big deal to me.

"Al, what are you doing?"

"Getting a drink of water."

"What's taking you so long?"

"Oh, l'm really thirsty."

"What are you doing, Al? You're eating. It's 1 :30 in the morning."

"I had an early lunch and I get testy when l haven't eaten in 14 hours."

"I'm taking a break."

"I got an idea. Let me have that. We'll split it and take five."

"What do you call this?"

"Ham and cheese."

"The trick is, though, to add a little dill to your mustard."

"Al, you live life on the edge." 

….

"Whoa! Hi, honey. The car looks dry. It's dry as a bone. How'd you do this?"

"I'm packing heat. I conditioned the leather. I came down in the night and saw you two sleeping on the couch with pieces of dill stuck to your lips. It was very cute. I didn't have the heart to wake you so l just decided that l would finish it all myself."

"I can't believe you did this."

"Well, after all, it was my fault."

"I think I must have some dill in my ear. Could you say that louder?"

"Don't push your luck. Get in. See if it meets your approval."

"Jill, this is the greatest gift you've ever given me."

"I gave you four children.

"Yeah, but none of them came out this clean. The interior looks good. You did a nice job on all the details. Did you wax this thing?

"I waxed it."

"You know, deep down you must be a car babe. I love you."

I laugh and kiss her, feeling super lucky. I couldn't believe I yelled at her earlier. I felt so bad. Though, I knew she forgave me, it hurt. Jill and Hannah were the most precious women in my life. Jill was the love of my life and Hannah was my only and cutest daughter. She was my princess.

"I have someone who was just crying to see us," Jill revealed Hannah.

"Hi, princess," I babbled at her. "Did you just miss Mommy and Daddy? Do you love Daddy's hot rod, baby girl?"

I laughed as she babbled and smiled.


	31. Baby Sees Santa (December 13, 1994)

I prepared Hannah's bag to go see Santa and I knew this wasn't going to go well. At Hannah's age, babies didn't like to see strangers very much. Once Hannah warmed up to them, she was like the charming baby everyone loved. Well, we did love her, but babies at that age weren't friendly around strangers.

"Jill, do we really have to take Hannah to see Santa? You know babies at her age don't take well to strangers," Tim put the bag in the car as I buckled Hannah in her car seat and covered her in a blanket.

I looked at him. "Tim it's really quick, plus it's during her naptime. After that, we can take her to get ice cream and us some Blizzards."

"Well…alright," Tim smiled. "You better be making something good tonight."

I laughed and shut the door, getting in the front seat next to Tim. In her car seat, Hannah was sleeping heavily and I was relieved. This would make our trip to visit Santa much easier and more fun.

"It's sad that only Hannah believes in Santa now," Tim spoke as he drove.

I nodded but looked out the window. "Well, the boys are old enough where they have sufficient proof that he doesn't.

"I remember when they used to only want to be close to Mommy and Daddy. Brad would toddle after me into the garage while Randy held onto your leg in the house. Mark would go after either of us."

Tim parked in the driveway and Hannah remained asleep, her lion clutched in her hand and looking absolutely precious. Mothers were known for cherishing their daughters in a special way and I was no different. Hannah had my heart in a way that the boys did not.

Tim unstrapped Hannah and carried her inside, her head buried in his shoulders. To little kids, Dad was the best and strongest person in the world. Dad aka Tim was invincible and strong/brave enough to scare the monsters and fears away. Nothing could make Dad cry.

"I think someone's a daddy's girl," I laughed with a smile.

Hannah was drooling on Tim's coat, but he didn't care.

We walked into the mall and saw that Santa had a relatively small line. To make things better, we brought Randy along to calm her down just in case. That boy had the magic touch that made Hannah calm down and smile. We didn't know what the reason was, but we loved it.

"Dad, do Hannah and I get to go with you to Tool Time today?"

"Of course you do, why wouldn't you?" Dad asked as Hannah started to wake up. "Is my sweet girl awake?"

Randy grinned and I smiled at him. "Someone's had a short nap today and may not like who we're taking you to see."

"That's why I'm here, Mom!" Randy smiled.

We stood in line and it didn't take long for us to get to the front of the line. Putting Hannah in Santa's arms, Tim set her down but she started to cry and reached up. It always made Tim cry and I couldn't blame him.

"My, you're a big girl," Santa smiled.

Hannah was wailing and Randy spoke soothing words to her.

"Is this your lion? He's awfully cute."

Hannah's eyes widened and she seemed to be calming down, but was still scared.

With a coo, Hannah looked at him and I smiled softly. She was giving him the look that meant she was deciding whether to cry or to smile. Only strangers got that. She never cried with my parents, Tim's mom, or any of our siblings. She knew and loved them in a special way.

"Is your brother here? Is his name Randy?" Santa cooed.

Randy looked at her. "Bubby's here, Sissy. No one will hurt you."

We took the picture and Randy let Hannah snuggle in his arms. She nestled into him and he kissed her head.

"Thank you, Randy," I smiled at him.

Randy nodded with a smile and I looked at him. That boy made me so proud.

Brad grinned at me. "No one will hurt her with her brothers here."

Mark nodded with a smile.

((Quick update! More coming later!)


	32. Baby's First Eve (December 24, 1994)

I sat with Hannah on my lap in a red Christmas dress with black tights. She looked absolutely adorable! Today was the Christmas show for Tool Time and marked the beginning of Christmas season. This week, we'd celebrate Christmas with Nana and Grandpa along with Aunt Nancy and Uncle Marty. At Christmas time, we'd see Grandma on our dad's side.

"Merry Christmas. It's Yule time here on Tool Time. Hi, baby girl." Dad waved at Hannah who cooed at him eagerly.

"You know, Christmas always reminds me of my childhood. I used to build a snowman every year. I used a carrot for its nose, cookies for its eyes, licorice for its smile."

"Ah, that's a great story, Al. Today's Tool Time isn't about a plaid lad's Christmas. Today's Tool Time is about a man's Christmas. And nothing says Christmas to a man like a block of ice and a Binford chainsaw." "Our guest, Chas Jensen, is here for the Plymouth International Ice Sculpting Spectacular. Let's give him a cool Tool Time welcome - Chas Jensen! - Welcome to Tool Time -

"Now, rumor has it that you can actually make a Christmas tree out of this block of ice in 30 seconds."

"I can. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"We didn't invite you on the show to sing."

The guy started rapidly sculpting the ice sculpture and it was intriguing to Hannah. Her tiny arms flailed happily as I looked at Dad. He flashed a smile and looked at Hannah with a beaming smile. I felt protective over Hannah. It wasn't bad, so Dad and Mom were happy.

….

Tim walked in a string of Christmas lights and I groaned. That was the last thing I wanted to see right now. It reminded me that the lighting contest was coming. I had forgotten that Tim had called Marty to help him set up the lights. It also gave us a chance to see our nieces and for them to see their nephews and niece. We had a cute and tight bond with Marty, Nancy and the twins.

"Oh, no. It's the Christmas lighting contest again. I hope you don't go overboard. We could try a little subtlety for a change.

"Got it covered."

"Oh, Tim!"

"They were all out of the big ones."

"Right."

Tim walked out with the big cane and Mark and Randy raced down the stairs. Why they did that, I have no idea, but I still preferred that they didn't in the house. I knew I'd have to keep telling Hannah too, but that was ages away. So, I just kept telling the boys.

"No running in the house." I told and saw Mark and Randy run down the stairs

"Mom, I have to go to the bathroom!" Mark ran to use the downstairs bathroom. We had three bathrooms: one downstairs and two upstairs.

"Hey, hurry up, Mark, get outta there. I gotta go really bad."

"Why don't you use your bathroom?" I put cookies on a plate

"I can't. Aunt Nancy's in there giving the babies a bath. She's doing Hannah for you since you're so busy." Randy looked at me.

 _You're amazing, Nancy! I can't thank you enough._

"Use ours."

"Uncle Marty's in there and he took five magazines with him." Randy made a face.

"Go get some of those stick matches. Whoo! l'm out." Tim walked off.

"It's so great to have babies in the house. Especially our own since it's her very first Christmas. That's always a special occasion."

"Nothing like a little projectile vomit to brighten the holidays. Nah, I think it'll be fun to see Hannah have her very first Christmas even though it's not Christmas."

"I think it'll be the best Christmas ever," I smiled and thought about the way babies' faces lit up during Christmas day.

Tim set up three high chairs and it made me smile. Though I didn't want any more babies after Hannah, I loved having three of them in the house. There were three little beings who wanted lots of love. My parents would be overjoyed with having three babies in the house to spoil and pamper. It would be an exciting time.

"You're not kidding. I think my decorations are gonna beat Doc Johnson.

"No. I was referring to your brother's family and my parents coming."

"Don't set yourself up. Every year your parents come, you end up locked in your bedroom going, "Why did l even invite them?" Know what present I'd like your dad to give me? Call me "Tim" instead of "Hey, you."

"What he calls you behind your back, you'd be happy with "Hey, you."

The doorbell rang and I smiled. That meant my parents were finally here! I knew they couldn't wait to see how much Hannah and the boys have grown. Hannah was growing rapidly and in about six months, we'd have a toddler. Right now, we have a baby that's still cute and lets you love them.

I ran and opened the door.

"Oh, they're here. Mom, it's so wonderful to see you!" I smiled.

"It's amazing you're seeing us at all. Your father didn't use the turn signal once, all the way from Texas. Hello, dear. Hello, Tim." Mom kissed each of us.

"I didn't use the signal because there was no one behind me, Lillian."

"Then what was that truck that almost sideswiped us? He had no business being on the interstate, big truck like that.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Hello, sweetheart."

"Hey, you."

The kids bounded downstairs and I saw Mom's face brighten at seeing Hannah. It was so cute to see the way grandparents brightened around baby grandchildren. Hannah was the only granddaughter so she got spoiled even more. When she was older, she'd get tons of spa treatments.

"Grandpa, Grandma!"

"Here come the crew!"

"Hello! Give me some sugar."

"All right, men. Here's your mission. There is a vehicle in the driveway that needs unloading. Dismissed."

"It's packed to the ceiling with presents."

The boys ran outside and Hannah babbled, sticking one of her teething toys in her mouth and cooing happily. It was amazingly fun to have a baby in the house and for my parents to get to spoil her.

"There's Grandma's favorite granddaughter," Mom took Hannah.

Hannah stared at her curiously and I prayed that she wouldn't start crying. About a few weeks ago, Hannah started having stranger anxiety. She'd cry whenever a new person held her.

"She looks just like you, Jill," Mom smiled. "She's a tiny little thing."

Daddy smiled at Hannah. "She's a cute little fighter."

Marty and Nancy walked in with the twins. It was really cute! Nancy had dressed Hannah in the same outfit as the twins. So, they were triplets but didn't look much like each other which was cute! That was the fun of having babies that close in age plus they had built in best-friends.

"Oh, look! You remember Tim's brother, Marty, and his wife, Nancy. And this is Claire, and l think that's Gracie."

"Oh, aren't they little angels?

"Yeah, take a good look. They're clean. It only happens once a day."

"If you're thinking about a career, think army."

"All he ever talks about is the army. You'd think he'd never retired."

"After spending two days in a car with you, the Korean War was a picnic."

"Well, l really enjoyed my two days riding with you. Of course, I could've had more scintillating conversation with a crash dummy.

"You calling me a dummy?"

Hannah babbled at seeing Claire and Gracie. The twins seemed happy to see another baby in the house and cooed back at her. It was cute seeing babies interact with each other! Though they wouldn't be interesting for a while (to outsiders), it was absolutely adorable.

….

"So, are you and Dad OK in Brad's room?"

"Oh, as OK as we are anywhere else. You have no idea what your father's like these days. Ever since he retired, he just sits like a lump in his den, and watches the same old war movie over and over and over. Patton. He's seen it so many times, l know everything George S. Patton ever said. 'OK, men. We're going through those enemy lines like crap through a goose. I can't get him to do anything. I thought we'd get to travel, and go to Italy, do all the things we never had time to do when he was working. Just when l thought we'd get closer together we seem to be growing apart.

"Mom, don't you think you ought to talk to Dad about this, not me?"

"Well, it's no use. He's established a stronghold in that den. I'd have to put a grenade under his Barcalounger to get him out of there."

I saw Tim walking out and I ran up to him. Marty pushed the camel out

"Tim, Tim, wait a second. I want to talk to you."

"Not now. I gotta go light up a camel."

"I talked with my mother. She's upset with Dad. I know I said I wouldn't get involved, but I think I have to say something to my father."

"Before you do, let me say something."

"This is not their usual bickering. It seems like they're really unhappy."

"Well, of course they are. They've been married 42 years."

….

I walked over and saw Dad with the babies on his lap. The twins were on either sides of his lap and Hannah was between them, with Dad's lap full of babies. All three looked extremely cranky and tired. While I loved my father dearly, I didn't want them to see war movies for a while. The boys could, but I worried about Hannah and my nieces. I figured not until they were nine.

"General George S. Patton. The most powerful military leader in the world."

"Phew! Speaking of powerful." Randy wafted away the smell. "I think one of those babies just dropped a bomb."

Two of the babies had pooped in their diapers. It was Gracie and Hannah. That was the part that wasn't fun. Triple smelly diapers.

"There they are."

Nancy and I walked over with a smile. I felt bad that she had a smelly diaper, but it was cute to see her with my dad. The twins were extremely cute too and I was so happy. I scooped up Hannah and held her close to my chest, hearing her wail.

"Oh, they were crying, so I decided to calm 'em down by letting 'em watch Patton's invasion of North Africa."

"At home, we just put them to sleep with old tapes of Tool Time." Nancy smiled and I nodded.

"That's what I do for Hannah too," I smiled and bounced her on my hip as she wailed from the diaper change. "Whoa! Somebody's stinking up the joint over here. Boys? Boys, would you go upstairs? l want to talk to Grandpa alone."

Reaching to hold Hannah, Randy took her eagerly and went up to change her. That boy would do anything for his sister and it was super cute. Even if it meant changing a stinky diaper, he'd do that. His favorite part was to dole out cuddles and she loved that too.

"We're right in the middle of Patton." Mark pouted.

"Well, go upstairs and ask your grandma to act out the rest of it for you. Hey, Brad, will you take Claire up to Nancy? Here. Bye-bye."

"What are you doing? l was watching my favorite movie."

"I hear that's how you spend most of your time. Watching war movies."

"Oh, for cryin' out loud. Your mother been talking to you?

"Dad, it's not uncommon when a man retires to go through something like this. I think that you're experiencing a little bout of depression."

"You know, this is just like you. The second we walk through the door, you stick your nose in our business."

"Now wait a second. I've been trying to stay out of this. The second you walked in, you started arguing."

…

I walked out and saw Tim and Marty on the roof. Those two were as close knit as Brad and Randy were which was really cute. Though they'd argue, Tim and Marty considered each other best friends. Tim would turn to Marty for advice about baby girls while Marty turned to Tim on advice about kids in general. Both loved being uncles and it was super adorable.

"Tim, can you come down here? l need to talk to you.

"Marty, I'll be back."

"I really blew it this time. I tried to talk to Dad about Mom and now he is really mad at me."

"Young lady? Could I see you for a minute, please? I am so mad at you."

"Great. Now they're both mad at me." I walked inside.

"Congratulations! Two for two."

I walked inside and knew I was in trouble. I felt like a little girl. When I was younger and misbehaved (yes I was a bit like Tim), I dreaded it. I knew I wouldn't get in trouble, but it felt like it. When Hannah would get into it, I knew I'd experience my mother's feelings. My poor mom.

"Did you tell your father that I said he was depressing?"

"I didn't say he was depressing. I said he was depressed."

"He said that you said that I said he was depressing."

"No, I said that he was exhibiting all the classic signs of depression."

"I don't think that one semester of psychology qualifies you to diagnose retired colonels."

"I was just trying to help you get through to him."

"I don't need help to get through to my husband."

"Then why did you come to me complaining about him?"

"I was letting off steam. If you hadn't opened your mouth, your father and l could have just been mad at each other and had a lovely Christmas."

….

I walked in and saw Fred sitting on the couch watching Patton again. Though I loved war movies, there was a line where it got annoying. I'd rather have changed a dozen more diapers than watch war movies all day. There was a football game coming on tomorrow and I wanted to watch it.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm watching Patton."

"How about helping me string these lights up on the roof there"

"I have no interest in your battle with an 80-year-old proctologist."

"Yeah, you're right. Guy's probably gonna win anyway. You know how tough those old navy guys are."

"Did you say "navy"? No way we're gonna let a navy guy beat us.

...

I held Hannah in my arms as Nancy held the twins. Again, we had dressed them just alike, like triplets obviously. They had pretty red and black outfits on with a red bunting and it was nice and fluffy. It was cute seeing two babies and one small baby that were dressed alike.

"The judges are ready to look at the house. All l'm missing is a real baby for the manger." Tim looked from Hannah to the twins.

"He wouldn't really." Nancy held the twins.

"He would, but we're not gonna let him." I laughed and kissed Hannah's head.

"It's not like you don't have one to spare."

We walked outside to see a basic set up of lights that wasn't like Tim.

"You spent all night on this? Well, l don't even see a manger.

"They didn't see the Allies coming into Normandy either. And you know why? Camouflage! Watch."

"Beautiful! But you know what? l still don't see a manger."

"Oh, yeah? Watch this."

"Wow! Oh, that is so cool! Look, it just raises up right out of - Tim, did you make a hole in our roof?"

"Oh, yeah. Just a little one. I'll repair it to - Tomorrow –

"Oh, no!"

"Uh-oh."

I looked with a smile as Hannah reached towards the lights and cooed.

...

"You guys get to open one present before bed," I smiled at them. Hannah, Gracie and Claire were eagerly playing with toys.

It was a tradition for us to sit together in the living room and open one present each before bed. With my parents,, Marty, Nancy and the twins visiting, it made it impossible to sleep and we had the lighting contest as well. So, we'd sleep in our own beds, but I had a feeling the kids would want to sleep together. After all, Hannah now slept through the night and the kids were particularly close.

"The annual," Nancy smiled as she held Hannah and I held Gracie.

I ran and handed out the presents for the family each one containing pajamas. There were three pairs in men's size, three in women's, two in juniors and four in kids'. It was a family tradition to wear pajamas all day long on Christmas. We'd drink hot cocoa, eat sticky buns (or cinnamon rolls), open presents and watch Christmas movies. It was your stereotypical family Christmas that we enjoyed.

"Hannah goes first since she's the baby of the family," I told and found one of Hannah's presents.

I found one of her presents and opened it for her. "Wow, you got nice and warm pajamas!"

"Cool! Pajamas!" Mark grinned.

Brad and Randy nodded approval as did Tim, Marty and Dad. The babies looked bored plus Gracie looked hungry.

"I've got hot cocoa. Does anybody want any?" Mom asked as she held Hannah on her hip.

"Me!" The boys ran to it and took it to the couch.

It felt weird that a year ago today, I was pregnant with my last baby. Last year, I was midway through my pregnancy. I was a week away from finding out whether I was having a boy or a girl. Soon, she'd be the boys age and that made me sad.

"Looks like the babies got into the whipped cream," Mom laughed as the babies all had it on their faces.

I laughed. "Well, to humans it's delicious. It's Hannah's first time having it."

"Ready for me to read _Twas the Night Before Christmas?"_ Tim asked.

I nodded and took Hannah, letting her lay and cuddle on my chest. Tim kissed my head and cleared his throat, starting to read.

" _Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring. Not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care. In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there._ "

Of course, Mom and Dad were awake as were Marty and Nancy. Brad, Randy and Mark were between Tim and me. Randy was stroking Hannah's hand and had a look of love in his eyes.

" _The children were nestled, all snug in their beds. While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. Mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap._ "

Gracie, Hannah and Claire were looking at the fan eagerly and it made me laugh.

" _When out on the lawn arose such a clatter. I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window, I flew like a flash. Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash._ "

Randy was holding Hannah and letting her cuddle into his chest. Though people bullied him for it (Boys mostly. Girls thought it was absolutely adorable), he still loved to take care of his baby sister.

" _The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow gave the luster of mid-day to objects below. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sled and eight tiny reindeer."_

Randy looked at me with a smile and I kissed his head and stroked Hannah's.

" _With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his courses they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name: 'Now Prancer! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! On Cupid! On Donder and Blitzen! To the porch! To the top of the wall! Now, dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!'_ "

Hannah was fast asleep on Randy's chest, her hands balled into fists under her chest with Randy's arms around her. He was rubbing her back and letting her snuggle into him while kissing her head.

" _As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet an obstacle, they mount to the sky, so up to the house-top the coursers flew with the sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too._ "

Tim kept reading as Randy's head slumped against my shoulder. Mark was slumped against Randy and Brad against Tim. The twins were asleep in Marty and Nancy's arms and my parents were even falling asleep.

" _And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head and turning around, down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound._ "

This seemed surreal that I had almost all my family here under my roof. My sisters weren't here, but I preferred my parents over my sisters anyways. Tim was no exception except when it came to Marty. That man would do anything for his baby brother.

" _He was dressed in all fur, from his head to his foot, and all his clothes were tarnished with ashes and soot. A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack._ "

I smiled at seeing Randy fast asleep against me with Hannah in his arms. That boy had the ability to lull her to sleep just about anywhere. Nobody was able to yank her away without getting the big brother reaction.

" _His eyes—how they twinkled! His dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard of his chin was as white as the snow._ "

I saw that the boys had all gone to sleep. I felt incredibly warm with Hannah and Randy's bodies snuggled against mine. Brad and Mark were also asleep with Tim continuing to read and Marty and Nancy also sleeping.

" _He was chubby and plump, a jolly old elf and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread._ "

This story had been around for ages. It had been read to my sisters and me by my parents.

" _He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk. And laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!_ "

I smiled at my boys and knew that the story was just about over. Tomorrow was the most wonderful holiday-

" _He sprang to his sled, to his team gave a whistle, and away they flew the down of a thistle! But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!_ "

I smiled at my sweet children and kissed their heads, taking them to bed.


	33. Christmas of 1994 (December 25, 1994)

Christmas of 1994 was finally here! Only this time, we had some extra visitors. We had my parents, Tim's brother, his wife and my nieces. That made a total of twelve people in the house which meant we were full to the brim. Today, we would stay in our pajamas, eat sticky buns, open presents and spend time together. It was the typical American Christmas.

I walked downstairs and saw that the boys were sitting on the couch with Hannah. They were watching a family movie and had a protective look on their faces.

"The kids can open their stockings," I told.

Marty and Nancy helped the twins while I helped Hannah.

"Dad, we each got a thing of candy!" Mark grinned.

I chuckled at them and held Hannah on my lap. "That's not to be eaten to get out of eating dinner, do you understand?"

Brad pulled out a new Detroit Lions' hat along with soccer themed stuff. Randy got stuff that related to reading, theater and football. Mark got candy, stuff about karate and toys.

"Let's see what Hannah got," I smiled.

Her eyes widened at the teething toy and she reached for it eagerly.

"Bath toys," I showed her and her eyes widened, touching it and reaching to put it in her mouth like usual. She got a cassette tape, toys and a new outfit.

I got a spa treatment, a bag of makeup, new panties, new scarf, new slippers and a box of chocolates.

Tim got a necktie, a handkerchief, cologne, tickets to a Detroit Lions game, a car wrench, a multi tool and a pair of work gloves.

"Let's eat sticky buns," I smile.

Marty nodded with a grin. Mom and Nancy were talking eagerly. Nancy and I had a close bond with being new mothers of girls. It worked perfect because it meant Tim got to spend more time with my brother and nieces.

"Is a little someone hungry?" I gently took Hannah and started nursing her.

Tim smiled and kissed me. "Yes, your little husband is."

I laughed. "Not you, Tim. I meant the someone who still nurses."

He laughed too and looked at my growing baby. Next week, she'd officially be seven months old and was a few months away from turning one. Already, she knew how to crawl so we were losing the cute baby that could stay still and absorb the love. It was hard to believe how big she was getting.

I served the sticky buns and we ate with the babies in the highchairs. Hannah was eagerly mashing the sticky bun into the highchair. Gracie ate it and Claire mashed it too which made me laugh.

"Well, I guess they're not hungry," I laughed.

Fred laughed and Randy was eagerly whispering something to Brad who laughed. It was so nice to see those two back to their old selves being best friends. They didn't like a lot of the same things but they loved to be naughty.

"Aww, look at them," Nancy smiled.

Gracie, Claire and Hannah were acting like they were talking.

"Can you believe they'll be one in January and May?" Marty looked at me.

"I know. I remember when Hannah was born. She was a mere five pounds. It feels like time is just flying by."

"Just think, they'll be starting school in about four years. They might get to go to the same school, you never know."

I nodded with a grin and we went over to open presents. I held Hannah on my lap and Marty had Gracie while Nancy had Claire. The boys were on the floor while us adults were on the furniture. I smiled at Hannah who babbled at me. This baby had my heart and me wrapped around her finger.

"Dad, can we open presents now?" Randy asked eagerly.

Tim and I nodded approval as they sat down in their spots. I held Hannah on my lap and we sat in our spots. Marty sat on Tim's other side with Nancy on my other side and the twins in their laps.

"Hannah opens first since she's the youngest," I told again.

"Did Brad get you a toy about music?" I laughed softly and kissed her head.

Her eyes widened at it and she laughed, flashing a toothy smile.

The twins each next got a mobile toy. Mark got a new bike. Randy got a reading lamp that came with a new book. Brad got a new soccer ball. Marty got a new watch, Nancy got a bath set and I got a new set of lotions.

After all the presents were open, we stared at the mess that was on the floor. The babies were happy to try and eat the wrapping paper. We of course didn't let them, but they still liked trying to play with it. It was sad that I would never have another "first" Christmas again but that was okay.

"Let's watch Rudolph," I put it on.

I smiled at Nancy who grinned and we looked at the twins. Randy had Hannah on his lap and cuddled her close to his chest. She was of course asleep.

"It was so nice to have you guys here," I smiled at them. "We have to make this a tradition, Nancy."

"We sure do! The twins and Hannah need to see each other often. We need a girls' day where we can do this."

I laugh with a nod and kissed Tim who smiled and looked at the kids. They were sprawled on the floor, watching TV. How did we get so lucky to have four perfect, healthy and happy children?

"How in the world did we get so lucky, Tim? We have four healthy and happy children who don't have a care in the world."

Brad and Randy laughed about something as Hannah and Mark snored.

Tim shook his head with a shrug and kissed me. "I don't know, but we're super lucky parents that should be extremely thankful."

"Looks like the kids are worn out already," Tim pointed out to the kids sleeping.

The boys were sleeping on the floor with Hannah sprawled over them. Merry Christmas and goodbye 1994.


	34. The Route of Evil (January 6, 1995)

"Does everybody know what time it is?

I stared at Heidi with a smile but looked at the baby in my arms. She was happily watching Dad's show and had a particular interest in it. Since she was still little, she still idolized Dad. I knew all little kids did, but Brad and I didn't see why Dad would be. We'd never comment about it in a mean way, but we might tease her. It was a big brother's job to tease his little sister but no one else was allowed to.

"Tool Time."

"That's right. Here's the star of the show, Tim ''The Tool Man'' Taylor."

"Thank you. Thank you, Heidi. Thank you, everyone. Welcome to security week here on Tool Time You all know me. I'm Tim "The Secure Man" Taylor, and my assistant, Al "I Want My Blankie" Borland."

"I'd respond to that, but I don't need to since I'm secure with who I am."

"Well, you shouldn't be. Tool Time isn't just about home improvement, it's also about protecting that home you have improved."

"Right, and a good place to start is with the proper locks. Now, there are all types of locks - chain locks, guarder locks, deadbolt locks."

"Al likes belly lox. But remember, a little lox goes a long way."

"We also have a home security system. Burglar systems are fine, but when do we get to the high-energy surveillance equipment? Heidi, the high-energy surveillance equipment, please."

"Here you are, Tim." 

Heidi brought some wickedly cool spy equipment and I grinned eagerly with a big smile planted on Hannah's face. While I found Tool Time boring, I often found it to be funny when Dad screwed up something so I loved it. I was happy with getting to take Hannah to Tool Time every day. So, I never said anything about it.

"Small surveillance cameras, infrared scopes, pocket bug-detectors."

"Tim, we're talking home security, not cracking an international spy ring.

"But with this stuff, you got the option. Now, a must on the shopping list for every do-it-yourself spy is the bionic ear. With this, you can pick up conversations a long way away."

"Now it's time for the night-vision goggles."

"Night-vision goggles?"

"With these, you can walk around in pitch black, pick out a burglar. And you'll never whiz wide of the bowl again. What these things do is great, is amplify existing light, like, just by flicking this switch. Oh! lt's like looking into the surface of the sun, isn't it? I'm over here, Al.

Actually, these are These are designed for using when it's totally dark.

Heidi, make it totally dark, please. Ia'll just switch mine on."

"Oh, well, now mine aren't working."

"I'll just adjust them. Let me grab a screwdriver."

"Tim. That's not my screwdriver."

I watched with a laugh as Hannah whimpered at the total dark. Being snuggled close to Bubby's chest seemed to make things all better. I held her close and let her cuddle into my chest. I wasn't about to let Hannah get hurt by anybody.

…. 

I started cooking the alfredo and looked at it in the pot. It was hard to believe that I already had been taking a semester of school. It seemed like yesterday that I was starting school around the time the boys did. It felt like time was flying by. I mean, I had a teenager, one almost teenager, one tween and one growing baby.

"Jill, I gotta hand it to you. How do you find time to cook with finals coming up?"

"I found this book. Five-Minute Meals for the Busy Woman. Try the sauce. Tell me what you think."

"Maybe if you throw the book in the pot, it might give it some flavor."

Tim and the boys just have to put up with it until my finals are over. I have milk produced for Hannah also." I stirred the pot

"Hi, guys."

"Hi, honey. Hi, sweetheart, Mommy missed you! I just don't have time to cook the way l usually do." 

I picked up Hannah and looked at her with a smile. She was trying to grab my necklace and I let her grab it. She cooed and played with the necklace that the boys had gotten me for Mother's Day. I loved it. With a laugh, I kissed her head and let her stir the pot. I gave her a toy spoon and made her laugh by kissing her cheek. Being a mother to a daughter was one of my joys that would never fade away.

"Now, there's some good news. Isn't it, Hannie?" Tim kissed Hannah's head and then kissed me, as Hannah objected to having to share me.

"Wait till he sees the new book l got. Five-Minute Lovemaking." I laughed and Hannah squealed happily when Tim tickled her.

"What are we gonna do with the other three minutes?" Tim laughed.

Brad came in and Hannah squealed at seeing her biggest brother. Eagerly, Brad took her from my arms and cradled her close. She laughed and cuddled into his arms while he held her. She loved her biggest brother and they had a bond of being the oldest and youngest. Nothing tore Brad away from Hannah and it was super cute.

"Barry Hudson quit his newspaper route. Didn't he, Hannah?" Brad tickled her toes as she laughed. Marie walked off and left.

"Well, Barry talked to the newspaper, and they said if U want the job I can take it. Bubba might get a good job."

"There's nothing like a challenge to help someone mature. Isn't that right, Hannah?"

"So I can take it?" Brad had wide eyes.

"You have more schoolwork this year, band, basketball, a girlfriend. Aren't you taking on too much?"

"I know it's a lot, but, Mom, l can handle it."

"You'll have to get up at dawn when it's seven below outside."

"I can do it."

"That's right. It's good to push him a bit. Getting up at five o'clock puts hair on your chest, which is why you don't see many newspaper girls."

"And, Mom, I promise I won't fall behind on anything. I'll clean my room, and I'll even practice my saxophone two hours a night."

"We've talked about giving the boys more responsibility especially with Hannah having come along. This falls in that category."

I wiped Hannah's face and laughed softly. Seven-month-old girls made the cutest faces and I had a hard time resisting it. Even though dads had a hard time saying no, mothers did too. I knew that when she would ask about taking dance, I'd want to immediately say yes. That'd be something that Tim and I probably both say yes to. He had a hard time seeing when she was sad and when his nieces were sad.

"I have my doubts, but if that's the way you see it, Tim, all right. Now, the minute that your schoolwork starts to suffer, the job is over."

"It's a deal."

...

I stared at my homework in worry and knew I was in big time trouble. Though I had told Mom I could handle the job, I was proving otherwise. Mom and Dad had no idea that I was way behind and I wanted to keep it that way. Mom would make me say good bye to the job and I'd be punished until my grades were normal. School had never been easy for me but it was worse now than before. I had to do something before the school called Mom.

"Hey, Brad. You wanna play football?"

"Oh, no. I can't. I'm way behind. I've got this paper on the Franco-Prussian War due tomorrow."

"Well, what do you have so far? ''The Franco-Prussian war was'' That's it?"

"Yeah, and I copied that out of the encyclopedia."

"If this job's so tough, I mean, why don't you just quit?"

"I already told Mom and Dad that l can handle it. I gotta show them I'm up to the challenge like a real man."

"If you keep on handing in papers like this, you're gonna be the only real man still stuck in the eighth grade."

"How did l get myself into this? l'm behind in everything. Maybe l should just tell them the truth."

"I think you have to even though it does go against everything I believe in."

Dad walked in and I felt myself tense. Well, Dad wouldn't be as tough on me about my schoolwork as Mom would be, but he'd be a little upset too. What was I gonna tell him? He had advocated for me in front of her in the first place and told her that I could handle it. If he was wrong, Mom would make me quit the job. While I loved the idea of making money at first, I didn't like what it was doing. I wasn't able to hang out with friends as much as before, I didn't get to play with Hannah as much, and I was stuck in the house. I had work, school and endless homework. It was a vicious cycle.

"So how's my junior breadwinner doing?"

"I'm tired, every bone in my body aches, and I can't see straight."

"Welcome to the working world? I'm real proud of you. That's why l did this."

"You framed my first paycheck?"

"No. I Perma Plaqued it. That baby will be in there forever."

"How am l supposed to cash it?"

"You make an interesting point. I'll just give you the cash. You'll love the job. Your mom didn't think you could handle it. We proved her wrong."

"I need to talk to you about that. I'm not so sure I can handle it."

"What do you mean? Sure you can."

"Dad, it's really tough. I'm thinking that maybe I should just quit."

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. I don't want to hear, ''I quit." Taylor men don't quit. I never quit a job in my life. You took on a responsibility, l stood up for you, you've gotta follow it through."

"I've got so much going on."

"Oh, come on. Every job's tough to start out with. You'll pull through."

"I can't keep up with everything. You're doing your studies. "The Franco-Prussian War was'' That's already more than l know, right there. Hey, but Russia's not spelled with a P, my friend."

….

I walked into Brad's room and saw that he was struggling to keep up with his schoolwork and I pitied him. Before he even began the job, he wasn't that good of a student, but he was average. Now, it looked like he was slipping in his grades and sooner or later, Mom would find out about it. I had a plan that would make Brad and I happy but Mark would have to agree. It would keep Mom and Dad off of his back for the time being unless Mark snitched.

"Hey, Brad, Mom and Dad want you to come down for dinner."

"Tell them I'm not hungry. I'm doing this paper and math at the same time.

"The Franco-Prussian War was fought in 1870 minus the square root of 113."

"Oh, man. How could l have done that? I'll never get this paper in. My teacher only gave me an extension till tomorrow. I'm dead."

"Well, you're gonna be even deader when Mom sees the mess in your room."

"Whoa. This place is disgusting. I like it."

"You know, Brad, you got a big problem but maybe we can help. I can do your homework, and Mark here will clean your room.

"No, I won't."

"Mark, we're brothers. Brothers do things for each other."

"No, we don't."

"For money, we do."

"How much do l have to pay you?"

"It depends on how well you want to do. Ten bucks for an A, five bucks for a B, and $ 2 for handling."

I grin at Brad who seemed to hesitantly agree to the terms but I knew he would since it save his hide from Mom and Dad. They never spanked us (they were highly against spankings) but they did ground us. Anyways, I knew that this would be a good system unless Mark snitched on us.

…. 

Randy walked down and was careful not to wake Hannah. If he accidentally woke her up, we'd have an angry Mom/Jill after him. I never woke her up, but Mark has by accident and Jill and I haven't been happy. We don't keep the house totally silent, but it's moderate to where a person can sleep. I was a fierce papa bear when it came to Hannah. No one was allowed to hurt my daughter and if you did, you'd have an angry daddy on your hands. I had her in my heart and I was around her finger.

"Want to taste what's for dinner?"

"I'm not that hungry."

"Marie made it."

"I'm starving."

"As soon as these finals are over, I'll be back there behind that stove."

"Don't say that, not even joking."

"Why are you home? I thought you had band.

"Yeah. I forgot my sax. I gotta go back."

"Did the teacher grade that paper on the Franco-Prussian War?"

"Let me see it."

"It's the red folder."

"Brad, you got an A!"

"I gotta go. Eddie's mom's gonna take me."

"OK, see you later. Bye."

Brad walked out and I didn't suspect anything. Though Randy was acting a bit weird, I didn't think anything of it. After all, he and Brad were on good and nice terms again so I wasn't surprised at his reaction. Still, it was a bit _too_ pleased. Why would Randy care that Brad had a good grade? It didn't click right away, but Jill seemed to suspect something.

"This is great. He's handling this well. He's doing his job real good, got an A on that Franco-American-SpaghettiO thing."

"Wait a minute. Listen to this. 'Does war bring out the worst in men, or is it the worst in men that brings on war?'"

"Oh, oh, oh. That's good. No wonder he got an A."

"That's the same sentence Randy used on his paper about the Civil War."

"What are you suggesting? Brad wrote Randy's paper."

"Close, but completely wrong. Randy wrote this paper."

"Why would Randy write a paper for Brad?"

Mark walked out with Brad's trashcan and it left me puzzled. Why would Mark empty Brad's trashcan? It's not like emptying the garbage is a job that the kids fight over. So why would Mark want to do that? Did Brad pay Randy and Mark to do his chores? If so, why hadn't I ever thought of that? I could've made Marty do my chores.

"Mark. What are you doing emptying Brad's trash can?"

"It used to be mine."

"So you missed it and you're just emptying it for old times' sake?"

"Exactly."

"Get your can over here."

"I didn't do anything."

"Are you cleaning Brad's room? On one hand, you want to be loyal to Brad. On the other hand, we pay your allowance. It can only mean one thing. Brad pays them more than we do. We want to know what is going on."

"Brad couldn't handle the job so he paid me to do his chores."

"And Randy to do his homework?"

"You didn't hear that from me.

"If he's having such a problem, why didn't he come to us?"

"He said he had to show you that he was up to the challenge, like a man."

….

"Hello, Brad. Are you having dinner with us tonight?"

"I'll be down in one second. I'm just gonna take my sax up to my room."

"I think your room's about done. Mark was putting a mint on your pillow."

"So I guess you noticed Mark was cleaning my room."

"Yes, I noticed that."

"Hey, I was pretty surprised when he actually volunteered to do it."

"You must have been amazed when Randy volunteered to do your homework."

"I'm really sorry, Dad. I got myself in deep. I didn't know how to get out of it."

"It's all right, it's all right. A lot of it's my fault. I was pushing you to do this. I didn't listen when you told me that you didn't want to."

"I wanted to show you l could handle it."

"You're one terrific kid. I'm real proud of you for trying this, but the rest of this week, concentrate on your homework. I'll take your employees, and we'll finish the week so you get a full paycheck. The reason I was doing this, I got so into this, was because when I had a paper route it was really important to me."

"How come?"

"It was the first job I had after Dad died. I had the job to show my mom l could shoulder responsibility and not be a goof-off like my brothers."

"I'm sure you didn't quit your first paper route."

"No, l didn't. I was fired."

"Why were you fired?"

"I was trying to make it fun and expedite it at the same time, so l got a compressed-air gun that would shoot the papers. I never got the telemetry down - the angle of attack. I never got them anywhere near the damn porch. I would have made more money if l knew how to repair a window back then."

It felt good to talk with my boy about things like this. I loved being able to give advice about things and being able to listen to them. How was it that I had two boys that were thirteen and twelve already? It seemed crazy that that much time had flown by. It seemed like only yesterday that they were toddlers and were running around the house. Now, I had two boys who were in middle school and dealing with girls and "big boy" problems. My boys were growing up.


	35. Problems with Parents (January 13, 1995)

I sat with Mark on the couch and watched TV. Since neither of us had anything to do (plus Brad wasn't home), we decided to watch TV together. Mom was busy with Hannah. Dad was out shopping. Brad was at soccer practice and planned to help me prank later. Anyways, it was fun to spend a little time with Mark since we didn't do that often. We liked watching stuff on the Nature Channel together.

" _After the praying mantis mates. the female devours the male."_

"I guess that rules out a second date." I laughed as Mark laughed too.

Mom came down with a big laundry basket of my jeans. I knew what that meant and I didn't like it. Shopping.

"Randy, do you realize every pair of jeans you own have holes in them?"

"You're dead. She's gonna take you shopping."

"So, anyway, we're gonna have to go shopping this weekend."

"Shopping with you is really embarrassing. You drag me into the stupidest stores. You make me try on dorky clothes and you follow me into the dressing room."

"It's not like l'm the only mother that does that."

"And if all the mothers jumped into Lake Michigan, would you do it too?"

"You are going jeans shopping, whether you like it or not."

"Hi, guys." Dad walked in as Hannah started crying from her room.

"Come on, Mom, pants are the worst. As soon as I try 'em on, you stick your hands in."

"I have to see if they fit. You have to do that little jiggle thing. Mom, why can't Dad take me shopping?"

"The man whose fundamental approach to shopping is speed. You don't check labels, you don't compare prices, you don't try anything on."

I walked away and knew that I was fighting a losing battle. Whether I liked it or not, I was going clothes shopping. I hoped Mom would bring the baby so that it would be a little less embarrassing. She'd focus more on shopping for stuff for Hannah. That was a hope I knew wouldn't happen.

…...

I sat in the audience, watching Dad do a Tool Time. Today, he was having a guest star and was gonna show him the hot rod that he worked on for three years. Again, Hannah and I were allowed to go outside when it was happening. It was extremely exciting (well for this day), but I knew that soon I would have to go shopping. I wanted Mom to take Hannah too.

"Yesterday we talked about cold, today we're talking about hot. Hot dogs, hot cars, hot rods."

"Hot dates."

"Something Al knows very little about. We're talking about hot rods today. Our special guest is one of the sponsors of the custom car show at COBO Hall, a big car collector and one of Detroit's own - Mr. Doug O'Brien! - Hey, Doug. Welcome to the show. I for one am pretty gosh-darn excited about the custom car show."

"There are cars from all over the US and Canada. Also from lItaly, and a couple from as far away as New Zealand. Many of them, l might add, brought to you by my company, Papa Mia's Pizza."

"You're Papa Mia? I love your pizza."

"As a big car collector, you see a lot of cars. What gives you a thrill at a show like this?"

"I'm an old-fashioned guy. No matter how many hot rods l own, l really get a thrill out of seeing a beautifully crafted restoration."

"Bet it's the same thrill I get every time I eat one of your pizzas."

"Al, put a sausage in it, will you? I know you're a car guy, and everybody else will love this. Marv, follow us outside. Randy. Hannah."

I got up and bounded after Dad, with Hannah reaching toward him. With a smile, Dad took Hannah from me and let her cuddle close into his chest. I knew that Hannah would love that Dad held her for a bit on the show. She was quite the daddy's girl. No one was allowed to hurt her especially when Dad, Mom, Brad, Mark or I were around.

"Aww did you miss your daddy?" Dad cooed and kissed her cheek. "Ladies and gentlemen, l'd like to present three years of hard work, Tim Taylor's Blue Goose, my hot rod."

"Beautiful '33. Chopped windshield frame. great-looking short block."

"It is a 350 Chevy. As a matter of fact, Al helped me put this in."

"I did. I still remember the night. We ordered your deep-dish Super Papa with eggplant and Canadian bacon."

"How'd you find the time? You must have a pretty understanding wife."

"I started with a bare frame and l built it up from there. I got special color-coded, powder-coated Holley Double Pumpers. Every car guy takes pleasure in adding his own special touches."

"You know what l take pleasure in? Your Hawaiian pizza. And when you add the extra pineapple, it's to die for."

"Why don't we just order Al a big one right now?"

I laughed and Dad tickled Hannah's chin, which made her laugh. Dad gave her the bottle and she started to feed herself. He kissed her head and had a hand on the bottle so that she wouldn't drop the bottle. I knew that the viewers loved seeing Dad be a doting Daddy. He carried her inside and we resumed with the show.

….

I helped Mom bring in the groceries and grinned eagerly as Dad walked in. Though I loved Mom, I had always been closer to Dad. He seemed like something had gone on at Tool Time which was a good thing. Did the fireman let him put out his own fire or did they have a cool guest star today? Randy seemed unbothered by it and I knew why since he and Hannah had gone.

"Guess what happened today on Tool Time."

"Lemme guess. The firemen let you put out your own fire."

"Yeah, they did. But before that we had a special guest on the show - Papa Mia the pizza guy. Papa Mia loved my hot rod so much he made me quite a nice offer."

"Well you didn't take it, did you?"

"Oh, don't be silly. Your father put his heart and soul into that car. You can't put a price on your soul. Tim, where do you draw the line? For enough money, are you gonna sell your tools? Me? The kids?"

"I'm not selling my tools."

"I can't believe you actually did this. If you were gonna sell it, you could've told me. I helped build it."

"I know I didn't plan to sell it."

"I thought you and I would go cruising in it and showing off for people. Next time you need help, don't bother asking me."

I stormed off and didn't look at Dad. How could he sell the car out from under me like that? It wasn't fair! I thought Dad would've let me drive it and have my own son help me and Dad build it, three generations of car guys. Still, it was done now, but I was extremely mad at Dad.

….

I sat with a gloomy look on the chair in the store. I hated this and I wanted Dad or someone to put me out of my misery. Why on earth did Mom still have to go clothes shopping with me? Why couldn't I go by myself or at least have Dad take me while he got some too? At least with Dad, he was less embarrassing. He would go shop for himself and allow me to pick my own clothes.

"Oh, these are darling," Mom smiled.

"Mom, "darling" will get my butt kicked at school."

"Don't put 'em down till you've tried them on."

"Do you think we have enough?"

"Enough pants, but now we have to get shirts to go with them."

"Shirts? You never said anything about shirts."

"Honey, if you don't get shirts to go with the pants, then you don't have an outfit."

"Mom, guys do not wear outfits. Why don't you just put me in a dress?"

I reluctantly went to the dressing room and started putting on a pair of pants while I was trying to ignore Mom. Why not just put me in a stroller and make me drink out of a sippy cup? I felt like Mom was babying me. I wasn't nine anymore. I was almost thirteen years old. If I was old enough to have a girlfriend I was old enough to pick out my own clothes.

"Randy?"

"Mom!"

"Oh, please. Like l haven't seen it before. Come on out here. I want to look at these." Mom looked at the pants vertically. "Length looks OK. How's the crotch?"

"Could you say ''crotch'' a little louder? I don't think everybody heard you." I glare.

"Haul this around so I can see the waist? Let me see how it fits."

"Do you have to jiggle? - What if someone l know sees me?"

"Please, nobody is looking at you."

My worst nightmare came true when Beth said, "Hi, Randy."

I knew she probably wondered what I was doing with my mom.

"Beth. Hi. So, Beth, what are you doing here? So how did you do on that biology test today? I missed an easy one on vertebrae. That is such a funny word – "vertebrae." But then again, so is "protoplasm."

"So do you shop in this store a lot?"

"Well, yeah But not with my mom. We just happened to be in here."

"I was over at the Cheese Chalet buying a Gouda log. I never shop for Randy anymore. He's obviously old enough to buy his own stuff."

"Ma'am? ls this the kind of underwear you wanted for your little boy?"

I was extremely embarrassed. Why did this have to happen in front of Beth? Now she probably wouldn't be interested in dating me anymore. Still, I was starting to develop a crush on a girl in my Math class, Michelle. In class, she was pretty quiet but was also pretty nice. She was quite a bit different then Beth.

….

I walked in sadly with Mom and Dad. There was still anger present, but I also felt a bit sad that Dad had sold the hot rod. Why did he have to go and do that when he knew how I felt about it? Ever since I was twelve, I had worked on the hot rod with him and it was our project. When he asked for help on the hot rod, I was always the first to volunteer. I knew it was silly, but I did feel really sad.

"Do you think maybe l could look around?" I asked eagerly.

"Help yourself."

I walked around the garage with a smile. It felt like heaven. There were so many cars that were different ages and brands here. They were from the 20s to the 60s. It felt cool that I got to be in here. Maybe I'd be a car collector when I grew up?

"Dad, these cars are awesome."

"Don't touch it! Jill, look at this. It's a '29 or '30 Duesenberg. Isn't this pretty?"

"Dad, check it out. A '32 Packard."

"You guys are starting to drool."

"Remember, every time O'Brien looks at you, work on that pathetic face."

"You can do better than that. You know the one you make when I say we have to go to Aunt Lucille's for the day?" Mom laughed. "That's good, that's good."

"Now remember, squeezing out some tears - that could help."

"Wow. Another Duesenberg. Ohh This is a limo, too. This is worth over a million bucks."

"What kind of fool would pay a million dollars for a car?"

I saw the guy walk in and I felt really sad. Though it was childish, I missed the hot rod. I had put in three years of hard work and I didn't want it to go to waste. It was supposed to be my first car when I turned 16 and it was supposed to be something that Randy and I fought over. Well, Randy didn't care about cars.

"Doug, meet my wife Jill. This is my son Sad I mean, Brad."

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's a little sad about the car."

"I'm sorry, but like I told your father on the phone, I can't sell him back his car."

"I sold this car before l had a chance to think about it."

"You make decisions without thinking?"

"Constantly! He is the most impulsive person that you will ever meet. And I mean that in a bad way."

"It took three years to build this hot rod. It means an awful lot to us."

"Look, this car means a lot to me, too. When I was a kid, my daddy had a '33 Ford roadster. He loved that car. And even though he didn't have any money, when he rode around in that car, he felt like a million bucks. When I wanted to start my own business, l didn't have a nickel. Daddy sold his car so l could buy my first pizza oven. When l was on Tool Time. Daddy saw the car and it reminded him of the one he gave up for me. Next month is Daddy's 75th birthday and l can't think of a thing in the world that would make that wonderful old man any happier than this car."

"Tim, there's no way we're gonna get the hot rod back. You want Daddy to be unhappy on his 75th birthday?"

"I don't even know Daddy."

While Dad, Mom and Doug were talking, I had gone to check out one of the other cars. I found a '46 Ford convertible that was in need of work. If Dad and I bought this car, we could start over and work on the hot rod. I knew he probably wouldn't give us the car, but maybe we could try. I loved the car and I knew I could convince Dad. It'd be Mom and Doug that would need some convincing but Mom would do it if it made me happy.

Hey, Dad, check this one out. It's a '46 Ford convertible."

"Excuse me. Don't touch it! (grunts) I think it's a '48, son. No, no, no, no! It's got the marker lights there. Yeah, you're right - it's a '46.

"Boy, what a mess."

"Yeah, it's a piece of junk. It needs a lot of work."

"Yeah, but isn't it great?"

"We could chop and channel this. Shave the bumpers."

"Put a big block in and retro the interior."

"You know how much fun this thing would be to work on?"

"I like that what excites you about cars is the work that goes into them. Hey, O'Brien. Is this thing for sale? I'll tell you what, one car guy to another, I'll make you a great deal on this car."

"Hear that? We have a new car to rebuild."

"Oh, no."

I grinned at Dad eagerly and we climbed in the hot rod. The seats sprung back a little, but Mom smiled at me. It was really nice that Dad and I had something to work on again that was just for him and me. When we wanted to be alone, we could just go and work on the hot rod. I laughed with a grin and Mom and Dad beamed at me. Our new hot rod…

….

I walked in and saw that Randy and Mark were watching TV together. Hannah sat on my hip and I had my arm around her. With a laugh, she grabbed my necklace and I let her play with it while I walked down. It was fun to have time alone with my baby girl while Randy and Mark were downstairs. It was odd that they'd spend time together, but I never complained. Brad was often busy so Randy would "resort" to spending time with Mark but I knew they loved being together.

"That concludes our look at sexual reproduction habits of the buffalo. Next week, we'll take a look at sex and the humpback whale."

I walked down with Hannah in my arms and shook my head at the show. "What is this, the Mating Channel? Can't you guys find something else to watch?"

"Fine. We'll just have to learn about the humpback on the streets."

I handed Hannah to Randy and he tickled her chin. She laughed as he put her over his shoulder and rubbed her back. That boy just loved his sister and she loved getting to play with her big brother.

"Randy? I got you something else from the clothing store."

"No way. I'm not trying on any more clothes for the rest of my life. I think you'll like this."

Randy rocked Hannah and rubbed her back. "It's a gift certificate."

"Next time you need pants you can just go and get whatever you want."

"You won't be at the store with me?"

"If you like, I won't be in the same country."

Randy kissed Hannah's head and got up, walking towards the kitchen. She was hardly put down unless she indicated that she wanted to play in the play pen. It was super cute how he would dote over her. He never liked to be far away from her.

Tim walked in and gently took Hannah from him. Hannah babbled at Tim and made him laugh by making a silly face. With a laugh, Tim kissed her cheek and smiled at us.

"Wanna see the new hot rod?" Tim asked with a smile.

Brad grinned and Randy and Mark nodded eagerly. "Yeah!"

"What took you so long? It's only, like, a 20-minute drive."

"Yeah, but when the engine dies it takes a little longer."

"Especially when I have to do all the pushing."

"Hey, it's all part of being a car guy, buddy. Well, guys. Take a look at your new kid sister."

"She looks old enough to be our grandmother."

Goodbye one hot rod and hello to another…


	36. Day in the Life (1) (January, 21, 1995)

Hannah started crying and I walked to her bedroom. She whimpered and I rubbed my eyes, starting to yawn. It was the beginning of our day. Nothing real important was going on today. It was just a normal day. Tim would go to work, the boys to school and I had no classes today. It was a day where I had time to myself while I had to take care of the baby. At three, Tim would take Hannah and Randy to Tool Time and I'd be home by myself. Brad had soccer practice and Mark had karate.

"Waaah!" Hannah was crying in her crib.

"I'll get her, Tim," I yawned and went to Hannah's crib.

She cried and I looked down at her with a smile. She had a smelly diaper and it was a smell I had gotten used to. Having three kids (particularly boys), taking care of your twin nieces and then having a fourth baby got me used to changing diapers. By now, I was a pro at it!

"Let's change your stinky diaper," I kissed her head.

I put her on the changing table and handed her a pair of toy keys that weren't real. As she played with the keys, I opened her diaper and saw a big mess. While it was disgusting, I knew that babies couldn't help it. She was absorbed with playing with the keys so I wasn't worried.

"You have a very messy diaper, sweetie," I wiped her bottom and slid a new diaper under her bottom. I closed the diaper and found a red shirt with blue overalls.

I put her in them and scooped her up. "Let's nurse some, baby doll."

I latched her onto my breast and covered her with a blanket. Letting her nurse, I laid back and sat in the rocking chair. Softly and quietly, I rocked and stroked her head gently, kissing it.

"You were a hungry girl," I kissed her head. "My sweet little girl."

Hannah slowly stopped sucking and I unlatched her. Getting up, I got up and walked downstairs, holding Hannah carefully. I walked down and the dog was on the couch, sleeping happily. Hannah was whining to get to play and I was about to put her in the playpen anyways.

I set her down gently. "You get to play while Mommy makes her own breakfast and reads then you'll have a naptime."

She flipped onto her stomach and started playing with her toys as I made myself some waffles and occasionally looked towards Hannah. Every time I looked at her, she laughed and had a toy in her mouth. It felt weird that I was able to leave Hannah in her playpen, but I liked it. She was in the separation anxiety phase, but I knew she'd settle eventually.

Hannah started crying for me and I walked over gently. "Is my sweet girl missing her mommy and sick of playing in the playpen?"

Hannah made a motion that was like a nod so I picked her up and held her on my hip, kissing her head.

"You making reading very hard for Mommy," I laugh as I ate some of my breakfast and she played with a toy on my lap.

I fed her some bites of waffle which made her happy and she had a smile on her face which always happened when I fed her actual food. She hated baby food and was starting to not want to nurse as often. I took it as a sign that she was wanting to wean herself.

"Peek-a-boo, I see you, Hannah," I smile. "Do you know what time it is?"

Hannah had a grin on her face and I knew why. I laughed softly. "No, honey, not that time, that's not for a few hours sweetie. It's naptime."

Hannah stuck her tongue out at the thought and I laughed.

"Oh, honey, it's not for very long. You'll get to see Mommy soon enough," I smile and carry her upstairs again.

She cuddled into my shoulder and I rubbed her back, carrying her to her room. If Randy were here, he'd sit in her room and nap with her. Sometimes, I just couldn't believe how doting he was towards her. If he was around and she was crying, he'd calm her down in a heartbeat.

"Mommy will cuddle you for a little bit, baby," I laid back.

Hannah yawned and snuggled her head into my chest. With a yawn, she cuddled and I gently laid her in the crib. She started wailing and I picked her up with a sigh. I cuddled her and then set her down again. I wasn't the type of parent that picked their child up every time they cried. Well, I was and wasn't.

"Shh, it's okay, sweetie, Mommy will be back soon," I kissed her head and turned off the light, shutting the door.

…

I sat down next to Randy who grinned at me and high-fived me. Beth avoided his gaze, but Michelle looked at him with a smile. I gave the "She likes you" look to Randy and he grinned. Was he finally moving on from Beth? It had only been a week, but lately he had a crush on Michelle. Beth and Randy weren't officially a couple, since nothing had gone past them liking each other.

"Morning class," Mrs. Green looked at us.

I whispered something to Randy and he laughed. "You put Mark's hand in warm water last night? Did Mom catch you?"

I shook my head. "No, but Dad did. He thought it was epically funny and said I should have you do it to Mark to start a pranking war. Dad's been missing one."

I laughed but quieted down when Mrs. Green gave me a harsh glare. Listening in to her lesson, I looked glumly at the board but Randy had a tic-tac-toe paper. We put it on his leg and started playing it. He was X and I was O. The first time, he won and the second time, I won. I could still hear and understand what she talked about so I wasn't worried.

"I can't wait to go home," Randy whispered. "I think Hannah's finally about to crawl for the first time and I wanna be the one she crawls to."

My face brightened. "Hey, you wanna make a bet on that?"

"What did you have in mind, Randy?"

"I bet that she crawls to me first."

"I bet she crawls to Mom or Dad first."

"Alright. Loser has to do the winner's chores for two weeks."

I grinned at Randy who smirked at me happily and turned towards the board. It was just like old times again. It was as if 1993-1994 hadn't existed. We skipped the period where Randy and I were at each other's throats. Well, we still were on occasion but we had gone back to being in trouble again. Both of us started to go our separate ways but we still were trouble makers.

"Mom's back to cooking supper again since finals are over," I whispered.

"Ew, I miss Marie's cooking," Randy groan softly as Mrs. Green handed us papers. "I can't wait to get out of this class. Aside from you, this class is too slow. I know all this stuff already! I've helped you with your math homework. This is too easy."

I shrugged at him. "What are you gonna do?"

Randy grinned. "I'm gonna finish this and then make something for Hannah. I need drawings so I know to update her murals. I'm updating them for her birthday as one of my presents for her."

"Those were amazing, dude! You should update them each year until she's an adult and I know she'll thank you. Can you believe she's already almost mobile?"

Randy laughed as he finished his worksheet. "No, I can't. It's hard to believe."

Mrs. Green walked by us and I hastily went to work while Randy sketched out his drawings for the murals on Hannah's walls. It was something that was special to him so I never made fun of it. It was creative and it made Hannah and Mom happy. If those two were happy then I was happy.

"Dude, those look really good!" I grin at him.

Randy smiled at me and kept working. "Perfect."

"Remember when we designed the room for Hannah's arrival"

Randy laughed. "How has it already almost been a year?"

…...

"Is my sweet girl awake?" I smiled as I picked her up.

Hannah made a happy noise and I put her on the changing table. She indeed had gone in her diaper so I gave her the toy keys again and she was distracted. With a laugh, she played with the keys. It distracted her while I opened her diaper. It was only wet this time thankfully. I wiped her bottom and threw the wipe away. I took off the old diaper and threw it in the pail. I slid a new one under and closed the tabs on it, kissing her head.

"No more wet diaper, Hannie," I smiled.

Hannah laughed happily and shook her head when I tried to put her on my breast. I raised my eyebrow but smiled. "That's okay. Mommy's not giving much milk right now anyways. Let's put you on your blanket so that you can try to crawl."

I carried her downstairs with a smile and kissed her head. She laughed again and I put her on the floor and sat down next to her. Squealing, she sat up and put her tiny hands in mine which seemed to melt me. This precious little thing wanted to play with her mommy and that's what would happen.

"Where'd Mommy go? Where'd Mommy go?" I covered my face. "Peek-a-boo!"

Hannah laughed and "cut the cheese".

"My, oh, my, Hannah, you let off a nice one. Honey, you're just like your dad."

I brushed it away and looked into her pretty blue eyes. How could those eyes see right through my soul? I swear that Tim was right. He said that she could make you smile by just looking at you. Well, I was biased since I was her mother. Still, she had the cuteness of her brothers.

"Can you crawl? Will you crawl for Mommy?" I looked at her.

Hannah babbled in protest and sat there, refusing to move. With a shrug, I looked at her and chuckled. There wasn't much more time. She would do it in her own time so I wasn't too upset.

"You know, your brothers and Daddy will be home very soon. Let's get you down for a nap."

I put her in the crib and tiptoed out the door, turning off the light. It was only a few hours till Tim and the boys got back so Hannah and I had several hours of free time to ourselves so I considered it girl time. I felt sad that a lot of the times I was in class so Wilson would take Hannah for the day.

"Have a sweet nap, baby girl," I kissed her head.

….

I ran outside for recess and started playing on the playground equipment. With Randy and Bad both in junior high, I was the only brother in my school. My older brothers were in middle school (eighth and seventh) so they didn't have recess. I was the only one of us that had recess anymore.

"Well, well, look who it is. The dork," Jeremy smirked.

"Why so it is, Jer," Nicholas smirked.

"Guys, leave me alone," I groaned.

"Are your brothers gonna come save you? They're in middle school. Your ugly sister can't save you neither can your parents."

I looked down and knew that I had to defend myself. What was it that Mom always said about dealing with bullies? Try to ignore them and then find an adult. That would prove what a baby I am though. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and fight back. He shoved me so I grabbed him and shoved him in the grass. He seemed surprised that I shoved him but that was okay.

"I said to leave me alone! And keep my family's names out of your filthy mouth," I frowned at them and glared.

"Why? What are you gonna do about it?"

"This," I pushed him into the ground.

Eddie smirked at a teacher. "I was minding my own business when he came up and pushed me down for no reason!"

"Both of you, in my office, now!" Mrs. Blackburn grabbed my neck and Jeremy's as kids paused to look at what we were doing.

"Ow. Ow!" I groaned and squirmed as she grabbed my arm.

She made me sit on the chair and called Mom.

"Hello?" I head Mom's voice.

"Your son has gotten into a fight at school. Can you come get him?"

"Sure thing."

I shrunk down and sat in my seat.

….

I sat down with Heidi and Al in the studio cafeteria where we were getting ready to eat lunch for the day. Soon, I'd take Hannah and Randy and they'd get to watch a Tool Time with me.

"How's sweet little Hannah?" Heidi asked with a smile.

"She's good. She's attempting to crawl. I think it's any day now."

"How're the boys?" Al asked as we ate.

I smiled. "They're good."

"I was thinking—maybe we could all have dinner together some time soon. You, Jill, the kids, Ilene, Heidi and me."

I looked at Heidi who nodded eagerly. "That's a great idea, Al!"

Al grinned. "When should we do it?"

"How about this Saturday?"

"That works for me.

((A/N: This is part one of a day in the life! Part 2 is coming soon!. I hope you liked this part and I hope it's not boring!))


	37. Super Bowl Fever (January 30, 1995)

I sat with Hannah in my seat and waited for Tool Time to start. Since the Super Bowl was coming in a couple days, I knew that Dad would make that the theme. It was something that Brad, Mark, Dad and I really looked forward to. Since Hannah was a baby, she wouldn't care. When she was older though, she'd grow to like it and would be one of those girls who knows about football.

The Super Bowl was an exciting time. Though the Lions weren't in it, we loved to watch it and bet on who would win. Usually, Mom didn't really care, so she would do something else, but she hadn't been feeling well lately. She had missed school yesterday so we knew something was making her sick.

"Everybody knows Super Bowl Sunday is the holiest day of the year. Come on, Al. Three steps back, go wide. Come on, buddy! Nice catch." Dad threw the football at Al but he hadn't caught it.

"How many times do I have to tell you that is not funny?"

"Couple more, maybe. Super Bowl Sunday's not about throwing a ball at Al's chest, although I love doing that."

"Here to tell us about that are three players from the Detroit Lions, with their favorite Super Bowl recipes. Linebacker, Chris Spielman! Quarterback is Dave Krieg! Kelvin Pritchett. Come on out, Kelvin! And wearing a nice throw rug, l might add." Dad grinned sheepishly. "You guys, it's nice you took time out to bring some recipes in. And maybe one of these years, you'll get the recipe for the Super Bowl!"

I rocked Hannah and thought about who would win the Super Bowl. It was fun to get to take care of Hannah.

"OK. Kelvin, can you give the audience just an example of some of the ingredients in your supersecret Super Bowl stew? The two ingredients are oysters and Spam."

"I guess the secret is why anybody'd want that combination. Chris, why don't you tell us some of the ingredients in your tuna casserole?"

"I use the finest white-chunk albacore packed in fresh spring water."

"Dave, how spicy is that bean dip of yours, buddy?"

"It's not too spicy at all. It's got a little Think of it as a quarterback sneak."

"Well, joking aside, guys who's gonna come out on top this Sunday?"

"No contest. My stew, by three helpings."

I laughed softly as Hannah waved toward Dad and Dad waved back at her. She seemed overjoyed that she still got to see Dad from the stage. It was something that all babies loved getting to do. Dad would wave back when he was able to and usually it was when the viewers could see it. When she was older and able to understand more, I figured she would be more excited. As a teen, she probably wouldn't find it as interesting.

….

Tim walked up to my room and I groaned in bed. This flu I had was just terrible. It was the absolute worst time for me to get sick. For one, I had school, but I had a nursing baby, a husband who was having a party among other things. Since I didn't feel good, I had decided to stay in bed and rest off the flu. Since exposing her to germs would be beneficial, I kept Hannah here. Tim was taking care of her and it'd be naptime soon so she would be out of the way. I doubted their ability to be quiet during the Super Bowl, though.

"Tim, I think l'm dying." I groaned and looked at him.

"Jill, I can't understand a thing you said."

"Honey, I know how important this Super Bowl party thing is to you, but I need you to take care of me today. And of Hannah since I'm too sick to."

"Just use the intercom to call me, and I'll come up during commercials."

"Let me rephrase that. I don't want you to have the

party today."

"I've been planning this for a long time. It's a tradition."

"You never had one before. Tim, I have a temperature of 1 03. I'm burning up, I feel horrible, I don't want a bunch of guys over here making noise.

"I'll keep those guys so quiet you won't know they're here. Please, please, please?"

"Oh, have your stupid party."

Tim grinned and ran downstairs as I groaned sadly. I was hurting and now Hannah probably wouldn't get taken care of. I take that back, Tim was better at taking care of Hannah then he had been with the boys. Still, I worried that he might unintentionally ignore her by not hearing her cry. If that happened, I'd be super upset. Being a father is more important than some stupid Super Bowl. The boys were going to Jeremy's so it'd be Tim, Hannah, his friends and me in the house.

…

I sat with my buddies on the couch after having put Hannah in her crib. While we watched the Super Bowl, I had to keep them quiet. For one, I had a sick wife, but I also had a baby that was sleeping. Waking up a sleeping baby was considered a big no-no to parents (especially one who had gone through colic). I'd have an angry Jill on my hands but I'd also be equally as angry.

"We gotta keep it down, guys."

"Good idea. Save our tooting for the game." Pete smiled.

 _And because I'll wring your neck if you wake up the baby,_ I thought. "Maybe we keep our tooting to ourselves."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, maybe when there's a big play, we all act like mimes."

"You know, I love mimes. Especially when they get caught in that box."

"Tim? I think I'm gonna throw up." Jill's voice came from the bedroom and I knew they'd figure out why. Plus if they heard a crying baby, they'd encounter an angry papa bear.

"Is Jill sick?"

"No, she just doesn't like mimes."

"You're having a party when Jill's sick? That's not considerate.

"How are we supposed to have a good time if we can't make any noise?"

"We could've all gone over to Harry's.

"No, we couldn't. She wouldn't let me go."

"So because of you, we all have to mime our way through the Super Bowl?"

"It's not that bad a deal. Come on. We got good food, we're all together. It'll be a great game. We'll have lots of fun."

"Yeah, but Tim, what about the surround sound you promised us?"

Horns blew on the TV and the Super Bowl music started to play. The guys started to cheer as I winced. From the bedroom (maybe out of coincidence), I heard Hannah start to cry on the baby monitor. My blood was starting to boil a little, but I knew Jill would be angry too.

"Tim! Hey. Tim. It's getting really noisy down there. Please go get the baby, she's crying from all the noise."

"Guys, l told you, you got to keep it down. There's a baby sleeping upstairs and is trying to take a nap. Please?"

"Well, Tim, he just broke three tackles. We're very excited."

"I'm uncomfortable while Jill's upstairs with the stomach flu."

"Toss me another sausage, will you?"

"With your heart condition, wouldn't you rather have raw vegetable medley? It's very good with this nonfat dip."

"Yeah, that's all l want - a little dip from a big dip! Now, come on."

"Larry, would you talk some sense into him? You're a doctor."

"I'm a neurosurgeon. As long as he doesn't put the sausage on his head, I don't care."

….

I walked up to Jill with Hannah who was crying hard and seeming to want Jill. The noise downstairs was scaring my poor girl and I didn't blame her. Men watching the Super Bowl was in general a little scary. To a baby, it was worse. They thought something was happening and that they were in danger. I was angry towards the guys and feeling hurt for Hannah.

"Let me guess, Hannah's scared of all the noise downstairs? Come here, baby, Mommy will make it all better by cuddling you."

Hannah whimpered but settled in Jill's arms.

"Poor girl," Jill kissed her head and rocked her gently.

"Look what I made for you. Jell-O with extra wobble."

"I'm too woozy for wobbling."

Jill rocked Hannah while letting her cuddle and Hannah was happy to be in her mother's arms for a while. I felt angry towards my friends, but I knew they didn't mean to be so loud. It was the father side of me. I was about as protective of my children as a bear was with her cubs. I called myself a papa bear and so did lots of other people.

"You just womited, didn't you? This'll help settle your stomach."

"Honey, I can't. I can't eat."

"You gotta eat something. Well, I get credit for trying. If you need anything else, holler. Would you give me a backrub? I always have time to give my wife a backrub. Hold on a minute. Yo, anybody?

"You said even though the guys are over you'd still take care of me. And of the baby too."

"I am taking care of you."

I start massaging her shoulders as Jill had Hannah in her lap. She was playing with her and yawning tiredly. I hated seeing my wife so sick since she was always at my beck and call when she was sick. Well, not always. She had four kids to take care of too.

Oh, that's good. You have such great hands."

"He coughed it up!"

"Tim! Where are you going?"

"Somebody coughed something up. I'll take Hannah off your hands. It could be Harry. He might be having another heart attack."

"All right! Hey! He recovered. It's OK. Talk to you later."

….

The men walked back up with Tim trying to hastily follow him. Again, Hannah was crying so I knew I'd need to take her again. Why did I think that Tim would put me or his daughter before a stupid football game? It was pointless to think that since he never would. That was mean of me, but I was pretty annoyed. He was supposed to take care of me and of Hannah and he hadn't.

"Jill, sorry to inconvenience you. We're at a critical point in the game. Could we just use your remote?"

"Just change the channel."

"Come on, my wife Turn it off."

"They're about to score!"

"Tim? May l please speak to you under here?" I got under the bed and Tim did too with Hannah wriggling towards me.

"Guys, after this, we're getting out of here."

"Hi, honey."

"Why are these men in my bedroom? Why don't they watch it downstairs?"

"Now, that's a funny story"

"I don't want to hear a funny story. You told me that if they came over here, I wouldn't have to see them. You'd take care of the baby.

"Can you see them?"

"After the replay we're getting out of here, Jill. Would you like some hot sausage? It'll sweat the fever right out of you."

"Jill, stay there. We're gonna get everybody out of here."

"Why didn't you just cancel this party? Why couldn't you take care of me? Why do you always do things like this?"

"You ask interesting questions, honey. Those guys only went upstairs because our TV exploded. I had everything under control."

"You are just so selfish! You only take care of me when it doesn't interfere with your schedule. How about when you went to a hardware convention, and I had laryngitis? I had my wisdom teeth out? Brad emptied my spit bucket, Randy changed the gauze. Mark mashed my food. What exactly did you do? You're so pathetic! You know, you take better care of your car than you do of me."

"We told Jill we'd leave after the first touchdown."

"We can't go now, it's just getting exciting."

"No, you gotta go now. Come on. Jill's gotta get back in bed, guys."

"All right, she can have the bed. "But we get the TV.

"This is not a hostage situation."

"We'll take the TV and set it up downstairs."

"No, you won't. I got another TV. We'll watch it down in the den."

"What say we go over to Big Mike's, watch the rest there?"

"Yeah, that's a great idea. Hey Pete, Larry, Harry."

I looked down at my Tim sadly and he walked away, probably going into the baby's room to rock her and calm her down. He was in big trouble and felt guilty. He hadn't meant to make Hannah cry or to upset Jill. Those two were more important to me than anybody except the boys. The five of them were my world.

….

I walked up the stairs to see Jill groggily watching TV in the bedroom. It was a heated situation since earlier and I knew I was in hot water. I had calmed Hannah down and got her to sleep when she was in her bedroom. After that, I had talked to Wilson and gotten advice from him. I knew that I'd need to do some serious apologizing and it had to be fast.

"You'll feel better when you see what l got you."

"What did you get me?"

"Going with your doctor theme, l got Dr No Let's see, uh, Doctor Dolittle Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Doctor Naughty and the Night Nurses Oops! But l also spent an hour making this special tea. It's supposed to cure nausea. I think you'll love it. It's real hot, be careful."

"Does it have caffeine in it?

"No."

"Good, 'cause I don't want to get a buzz."

"You might get a buzz. It's made out of boiled bees. It's an ancient Chinese remedy for nausea. Wilson gave it to me. It's not easy working with bees, let me tell you. Look at that. Some of those bees were still alive." hours, and ending up dead in a shoebox. Tim, All l want is for you to be attentive and comfort me. Why is that so hard for you?"

"I feel so useless when you're sick. When something's broken, l like to take it apart and fix it. I can't do that with you." How's that back?"

"It's aching. That feels good."

I kept massaging Jill's back and smiled at her. She was the most amazing woman I knew and nobody's opinion of that was gonna change my mind. I wanted to do something more make her mad. She deserved the world and that was what I was gonna give her. She deserved everything and more that the world had to offer her.

"Hi, Benny. They won? I didn't even see it. That's great. Big Mike's Super Bowl party, huh? Best one you've ever been to, huh? No, l'm staying here. I'm nurturing my wife. I'm real happy. Thanks. Bye."

"Thank you, honey."

…

I ran down with Randy and groaned at what I saw. Mom behind the stove. That meant we'd have to suffer from her cooking again and it sucked. She cooked worse than we did and that was saying something. We teased her but if someone else said it, we would get super defensive. We were protective of our mother and of our helpless baby sister.

"Food, a pot, and Mom. No good can come from this." I groaned with Randy.

"In that case, get your own breakfast." Mom teased.

"All right! Cookies and ice cream." Mark grinned.

"In your dreams." 


	38. Detroit's Bachelor (February 2, 1995)

I stood by Dad, holding Hannah as I watched him fumble with a smoking battery. Beside him was Al and it was at the end of a Tool Time show. Like usual, Dad had something go wrong but that was what made the show funny. He would screw up, but still had a sense of humor. While I liked Al, I preferred Dad since he was my father, but I was biased.

Hannah reached for Dad but I didn't want her to get burned so I shook my head. She pouted and played with a toy.

"The show is over and it's still smoking." Al looked at Dad as Hannah babbled and bit on her hand.

"I did this for a reason." Dad told as he cooled down his hands.

"That would be?"

"Now the crowd knows what happens when you overcharge a battery. It swells up and does this."

"Hey. You seen this month's Detroit Life? Hey, Randy." Heidi smiled and then looked at Hannah and grinned. "Aren't you cute, Hannah?"

"Not yet. Come here, baby doll. Daddy wants you." I picked up Hannah.

"Guess one of the sexiest ten bachelors in the city. Someone on the show."

"I bet it's Marv. I've always found Marv attractive."

"Marv's OK, but he's no Vic."

"It's not Marv or Vic. It's Al."

I held back a laugh but Dad gave a glance that told me to laugh later. With a laugh, Hannah squealed in Dad's ear. He winced and rubbed his ear, but gave a smile and kissed Hannah's head. She couldn't do anything wrong in his eyes. Well, she couldn't do much wrong in my eyes either. I didn't get mad at her as easy as I did with Mark. She was my baby sister that had to be protected at all costs. Anyways, she sucked on Simba's ear and cooed at Dad who smiled.

"I must say I'm very flattered."

"I must say I'm very frightened."

"'What woman wouldn't wanna cuddle up with Detroit's rugged Mr. Fix-It, along with his trademark humility, Al displays a quiet competence and an understated sense of humor.'"

"So understated, no one gets it." I teased and Dad grinned.

"Obviously someone did."

Dad took the paper and I laughed as he held Hannah in one arm and looked at the magazine article with the other. He seemed jealous, but I knew he was trying to be nice since Hannah and I were there. He didn't like to set a bad example with us around.

"'His big, beaming smile matches his big, beaming behind."

"It doesn't say that!"

"Well, it should."

"Well, wait a minute. You're in here."

"What's it say?"

"'As usual, the Borland charm is a much-needed antidote ''to the overblown macho displays of the accident-prone host Tim Taylor.'"

Dad seemed annoyed and didn't say anything as he walked out with Hannah in his arms and I followed. Quietly, Hannah looked around while Dad headed to the car and strapped her in her car seat. He didn't seem mad, but he wanted to go home since it was time for us to go home.

…

I sat with Mark at the dining table while Randy was doing homework on the couch and Hannah was playing in her Exersaucer. Jill was at saxophone lessons with Brad so I was left with the three other kids. Since Mark needed help, he asked me, but I wasn't having much luck. Randy was seeming to be much more of a help, but he would take care of Hannah while I was helping Mark. It helped him be more responsible so Jill and I were over the moon. He loved helping Hannah and it made him happier than ever.

Randy was laying back on the couch with Hannah on his chest and it was adorable! That baby made Randy so happy and that in turn made us happy.

"All right, give me another problem."

"'Bill's car goes 40 miles per hour. Mary's car goes 60 miles per hour. How long will it take for each of them to go 120 miles?'"

"What size motors do they have? Is it automatic or manual transmission?"

"The answer is Bill, three hours, Mary, two."

"I shouldn't be helping you with your math homework."

"You're not."

"What's your English assignment?"

"Well, I have to do a report on the most interesting person I know."

"I was born in middle Michigan. It was an autumn birth. A breech baby."

"Dad. I'm not sure you're the most interesting person I know."

"I'm not sure he's the most interesting person in this room."

Randy handed me Hannah and went upstairs so he could do his homework in peace and quiet. With a babble, Hannah looked up at me and seemed content to be in Daddy's arms. I kissed her head and looked at my sweet baby who was playing happily in my arms.

"Maybe I'll do Wilson."

"Wilson? Wilson? What interesting thing is he gonna tell you? You should write the story about me."

"I think I'll stick with Wilson."

"Hey, Brad. Who's the most interesting man that you know?"

"Wilson."

Brad went upstairs and Jill took Hannah from me, rocking her gently. With a coo, Hannah snuggled into her arms and seemed pleased with her mother. I loved seeing mother and daughter together. It was just adorable! Nobody aside from the boys meant as much to me as them.

"Did you see this magazine? Al was voted a sexy bachelors in Detroit."

"Which explains why all the single women were heading towards Cleveland."

"I can see how some women would find Al sexy."

"I guess if you never saw another man before."

"You just don't get it. Sexiness is something that comes from the inside. It's something that you exude."

"It's my opinion that anything Al exudes should stay on the inside."

…. 

I sat with Hannah on my lap to watch Tool Time and there were tons of women in the audience and I guessed it was because of Al being named one of the top ten sexiest bachelors in Detroit. It didn't bother Dad anymore so I was pleased. He and I watched football (a pre-recorded Lions game) and he became happy. Anyways, I saw Hannah becoming a bit fussy.

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as I smiled and Hannah cooed at hearing that.

"Tool Time!" We yelled and Hannah babbled.

"Binford Tools is proud to present Tim ''The Tool Man'' Taylor."

"Thank you and welcome to Tool Time I am Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor. You all know my assistant Al "I"—Well, I guess we all read the article."

"It's nice to have you ladies in the audience. We're talking about French doors."

"We wanna talk about Al."

"Actually, Al and French doors share something in common. They're both things l like to slam. The thing about putting in doors is you want to secure 'em, straighten plumb 'em, and make sure that they're straight."

"Could you move so we could get a better view of Al?"

"Is this better? Hi, baby girl. Hey, Randy." Dad waved and Hannah cooed. "Ladies, this is a tool show, OK? We're gonna use shims here, as he hammers."

A lady cleared her throat and Dad groaned. I groaned internally and Hannah seemed indignant that someone had interrupted Dad. She pouted but gave a smile when Dad played peek-a-boo with her. I felt annoyed and I wanted to get some sense into her. I'd never hit a woman, but I wanted some sense to be seen.

"Could l ask a question?"

"Oh, gosh darn it, why not?"

"Has Al ever been married?"

"If we're gonna ask questions, they should be about French doors."

"Would Al be more likely to marry someone who had French doors?"

"Actually, I'm partial to women with all sorts of doors. Dutch, sliding glass doors."

"What kind of windows does Al like in a woman?"

"Actually, I'm partial to bay or louvered. Or broken."

…

I sat with Jill, Al and Ilene as we were having a double date. While we were out, the boys were babysitting Hannah. Around this time, Hannah would be sleeping, so they'd be doing whatever. Brad and Randy usually hung out while Mark played in his room so we weren't worried about them in the house. We were celebrating Al and Ilene having their fifteenth month anniversary. Though Jill and I didn't think of it as significant, we pretended it was for Al and Ilene's sake.

"And l would like to thank Jill for introducing me to Ilene. And, Ilene, here's to another great 15 months."

"I'm Shelly, and I'll be your waitress this evening. I'm single, I want a relationship, and I like long walks on the beach."

"I'm starving, I want pork, and I'd like a glass of water."

"We have some lovely appetizers tonight. May l recommend the raw oysters?"

"Sounds great. I'll have that."

"I'll have the Shelly, we're hungry too." I looked at her.

"She just took one of her long walks 'I shucked them myself.'"

"Everywhere we go, the women have been flocking to his flannel." Ilene looked upset and I didn't blame her.

"There is nothing worse in this world than a flagrant flannel flocker."

"I have to tell you you're even more handsome than you were in the magazine. Can I have your autograph? I'm such a fan of your show."

"Oh, that's very gratifying to hear. Tim and l always try to do our best. Uh, excuse me, miss. You forgot something."

"She didn't forget anything, Al. She just gave you her phone number."

"Can you believe that woman? She could see you were with him."

Jill and Ilene were talking as if they were girls in high school again. It was amusing, but I didn't dare say anything. Jill was looking angry and I didn't want to make it worse. So, I put my mind towards thinking about how we'd treat Randy for his thirteenth birthday. He didn't like sports or cars like Brad so it'd make it tougher.

"Going for Al, maybe she can't see. Anyway, Ilene, tell us what's going on in the fast-paced world of orthodontia."

Oh, it's very exciting. I just got back from a symposium on overbites, and the most interesting thing happened. What are you doing, Al?"

"Waving."

"I'm in the middle of a story."

"Well, I was just being polite. I have a responsibility to my public.

"Your public? A few days ago you didn't have a public."

"Well, yes, I did. They just didn't know who I was."

"You know, the way you're acting I'm not sure I know who you are."

Ilene stormed off to the bathroom with Jill hot on her heels. Since I was not a woman, I stayed with Al. I had to go pee, but Jill gave a glare that told me to stay with Al. Not wanting an argument, I stayed but wriggled around so that I didn't pee my pants. They were extremely like high school girls now by their actions. Going to the bathroom together was extremely common when I was in high school and still is to this day. Even my oldest granddaughters who are nearing twelve years old do it.

"What is Ilene so upset about?"

"When you're out with Ilene, next time you wave at a strange woman you'd better be riding in a float in a parade."

"It's not my fault that that all these women are paying attention to me."

"You're a real babe magnet right now."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Hello." A woman smiled.

"Hello, I'm Al Magnet. I mean, Al Borland, and it's nice to meet you."

"Christine Dempsey. Sorry to bother you, but, um, I've broken my heel, and I read about how good you are with your hands."

"You know, I have a tool kit for just such an emergency."

"He also has an emergency inflatable raft in case the kitchen floods. You know, the kitchen?"

"Oh, boy. You have a lovely foot. A very lovely knee. A heck of a thigh."

"I wouldn't go any higher, Al."

"Your hands are so warm."

"Well, I've always had very good circulation."

"You're about ready to be put out of circulation, Al."

Jill and Ilene walked out, looking pretty steamed towards us. Raising my hands, I indicated that I had stayed out of it and that it was Al's doing. He had a nervous look on his face which wasn't helping his case right now. Both Jill and Ilene were glaring at Al darkly. I gave that same glare 15 years later when Hannah had her heart broken by a boy.

"Christine, Ilene. Ilene is my friend."

"Your friend? I'm your friend?"

"My good friend. Girlfriend. That's the word I was l was looking for."

Christine walked off with a roll of her eyes and ignored Jill and me. Al was about to be in some big time trouble.

"What is happening to you? You were flirting with all these other women. It's like l don't even exist."

"Ilene, that's not true! It's Oh Excuse me, please."

Al ran off after Ilene and Jill gave me a dark look that indicated I was about to be in some major trouble. When that look was given, I knew I was about to pay for something, but I didn't care at that point. While I knew Al was in the wrong, he was living every guy's fantasy. Women flocked him from all over the place!

"I cannot believe he acted that way. He flirted with every woman here."

"Those women were coming on to him."

"He's like a different person."

"Usually he's out clog dancing with his mother. He's acting like a guy."

"You think it's normal to ignore a woman on your 15-month anniversary?"

"I don't think it's normal to celebrate a 15-month anniversary. Give the guy a break. He's just living out every guy's fantasy."

"Excuse me? Every guy's fantasy?"

"Every guy's fanta Single guys. Married guys don't have fantasies. They're taken away from them. It's a good thing, 'cause then you get to you know, give all your attention to your wife, year after year. You know, month in, month out, day after day until you're dead."

"You've just swept me off my feet all over again."

Al walked back and sat down as he groaned sadly. It meant Ilene had gone off and he was in big trouble with her. I saw Ilene potentially breaking up with him, but that theory was just something I was toying with. I didn't dare say it out loud or Jill would have my head for saying it. I knew she was about to get onto Al and I wasn't about to do or say something.

"Well, Ilene just refused to talk to me. She got in the cab and left."

"Well, I don't blame her. Now, get in your car and go after her. Tim thinks that ever since you read that magazine article that you've lost that that teddy-bear quality we all love."

"He still has that. It's just every girl wants to squeeze the stuffing out of him."

"Tim, you should tell him if he keeps behaving like this he'll lose Ilene, the best thing that ever happened to him."

"The only thing that ever happened to him."

"That's not true."

"Would you please be serious and talk some sense into him?"

"You want me to tell him being wanted by every girl in Detroit is bad? And do that with a straight face? I can't say that. I can't do it."

"You're gonna sit there and not say anything?"

I looked at Jill and got the harshest glare I can recall. To this day, she hasn't given me that look since. I've gotten one similar from Hannah when I didn't approve of her now deceased husband. The look hurt. I knew I was about to get in big trouble.

…...

Dad was working on the set, getting ready with Hannah and I sitting in our spots. I had finished feeding her and was now waiting for her to settle down. It wasn't nap time, but it was "quiet time" where she'd relax for a bit. The show was a good idea to Mom so we decided to keep doing it until her second birthday. After that, we'd see where things went and decide from there.

Al was a few minutes late which was unlike him. Lately, he had been arrogant and thought he was all that, the same thing Dad did. He didn't always do it, but it was annoying when he did. Anyways, we spent the time playing with Hannah. Al came in and I knew he'd get a lecture from Dad.

"Where have you been?"

"Guess what happened when I got home.

"Al, you're an hour late."

"Well, I had a lot of calls to return from my admirers. It's a good thing l got this cellular phone."

"Cellular phone, Al?"

"That's right. Oh, and listen, if anybody asks, here's my number."

"OK, I'll drop it off at the pound."

"When I get home, in the parking garage two women are waiting for. Twins.

"Maybe they needed a place to park, Al."

"Well, they wanted to park Al, all right! Those women really wanted to get their hands on 'Detroit's rugged Mr. Fix-lt.' And who could blame them?"

"Can you hand me that sledgehammer? See if I can pound your head back to the normal size."

It was funny to watch them fight, it was like Mom and Dad fighting. Except Dad had his head on straight this time while Al didn't. It was a reversal role and I found it funny. To not seem rude, I hid my laughs and focused on Hannah who was eating at my shirt. She was teething so it hurt a little but that was okay since she didn't know better.

"I'm telling you, they really wanted to get ahold of me. Part of me wanted to get ahold of them. What would you do if you were single and these women were paying you attention? It's becoming clear that it's a big world out there, and l shouldn't limit myself to just Ilene."

"I hate to admit it, but l think Jill's right. Before Ilene came along, your black book consisted of one number - your mom's."

"Well, that's all changed now.

"Why? Because of one magazine article? Did you notice they put one zero extra on your salary? You carry it around with you?"

"Oh, man! So this is why everybody was paying attention to me?"

"No, that's not the only reason. They picked you as most eligible bachelor for a lot of reasons. That's just a typo. You are a good hard-working guy. ou're ha-handsome in a way, you know. The point is there's a woman that's always found you sexy, and she didn't have to read it in a magazine."

"And llene was the first one to recognize my understated sense of humor."

"Tim, do you mind setting up by yourself?"

"Al, l am setting up by myself." 


	39. Randy Turns 13 (February 8, 1995)

I sat with Hannah in the audience again and Hannah gurgled happily at seeing Dad. Soon, I'd be turning thirteen and that meant there'd be two teenagers in the house. It was an exciting prospect for me to be a teenager. Dad wanted to do something with sports or cars but I didn't. I wanted a boy/girl party here in the basement but I hadn't told my parents yet.

"It's the end of floor finishing week on Tool Time. We got a big finish for you."

"We're gonna shoot Al out of a giant glue gun. He'll be everywhere. It's gonna be a great show so stay tuned."

"We're going to finish finishing our floor. For best results, you wanna use two coats. However, before applying the second one, scuff the first coat with a fiberglass screen to help the second coat adhere better. Easy to install - set it underneath your buffer and start buffing."

"Al uses one of these to buff his legs before he waxes 'em."

"Speaking of wax - for a gentler, smoother shine, I suggest using wax."

"With all the wax I got in there, you could wax a whole basketball court."

"Remind me not to shake your hand at the end of the show." I'm ready to buff out my wax and show you the difference, but Al's using the buffer, so I've brought my own. Heidi and Stumpy, could you bring out my buffer, please? Here you go, Tim. Thank you, guys. Thank you, Stump."

"Could you have built a bigger buffer?

"I didn't build this. I bought this at Bob's Big and Tall Appliance Shop. I'm ready to buff this up. Watch the shine. Klaus, music." 

Klaus played some music as I watched with a laugh. With a gurgle, Hannah pointed to Dad with a coo and I nodded. I quietly mouthed that yes it was Dad and to wave to him. Dad waved back and blew a kiss to her. She cooed eagerly and laughed. Whenever Dad waved to her, she'd laugh and loved that Dad acknowledged her being there.

….

I stood in the kitchen with Hannah in my arms and smiled. Babbling, Hannah babbled hello to Tim as he came in. He kissed me and then kissed her cheek and hung up his coat. It was his normal greeting toward Hannah when he came in from places and to me, it was really cute! He loved his little girl and she meant the world to him and had ever since we found out we were pregnant in September. I loved having a little girl and I couldn't wait for her to get old enough to have girl talks.

"Bet you can't guess where l came from."

"Art museum?"

"Slippery Steve's Snowmobiles. He doesn't rent, but he'll make exception."

"It is so great to be married to a man with that kind of power."

"But I must learn to use my power for good, not evil."

"And the good would be?"

"A snowmobile party for Randy's birthday."

"Dad, I don't know about a snowmobile party." Randy groaned.

"Come on, think about it. There's no better way to say happy birthday than saying it at 85 miles an hour, blistering across the tundra, icicles frozen to your face. 'l can't see anything!'"

"As good as that sounds, I was thinking a boy-girl party in the basement."

"Girls love snowmobiles."

"Tim, nobody has their first boy-girl party on a snowmobile. At my first boy-girl party, all the girls wore frilly little dresses. The boys wore suits and ties. We played charades and telephone.

"Mom, things have changed in the last 100 years."

I made a face and Hannah laughed, biting down on a teething toy that was a hand-me-down from Marty and Nancy's twins. Nancy always gave me the hand-me-downs from the twins but I often bought stuff for her too. Needless to say, we had a lot of baby stuff. When she outgrew them, we'd donate them to the shelter.

…

I walked down the stairs and jumped down them, heading to Brad. Tonight, I'd be having my first boy/girl party down in the basement. Since Brad was close to my age, I decided to allow him to come anyways. He wasn't too young but not too old either since a couple of the kids were in his grade. Anyways, my crush, Michelle, was gonna be there so I was more than a bit concerned. Brad knew better than I did about girls since he had a girlfriend.

"So how do I look?"

"What's different?"

"I changed shoes."

"Randy, what are you so nervous about?"

"Well, there's this girl Michelle coming to the party."

"Randy, Michelle's not gonna care about what pair of shoes you're wearing. All she's gonna care about is she gets to have fun at the party. And she doesn't want any nerdy parents hanging around."

Mom walked down with a box and I groaned. Why did Mom have to come down? I got that she had to chaperone the party, but couldn't that be upstairs? It was extremely annoying that parents thought they needed to follow you. It was Mom and Dad's and my agreement to allow me to have the party. I could only have the party if they chaperoned.

"Great news. Guess what I found in the closet. My old 45s."

"You're gonna let us have guns at the party?" Brad and I gave inquisitive looks towards Mom's box.

"These are records. This is the music I used to listen to at my parties. 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' by Donovan. This is a great slow song. 'To Sir With Love' by Lulu."

"Don't worry. There's not a machine in the city that'll play those."

"Not true. I found my old Princess record player in the closet too. All l have to do now is find a needle for it."

"Hey, why don't you just hop into your time machine?"

The doorbell rang and I ran to got up to get it. Mom followed eagerly and I hoped against hoped that it was Michelle. I didn't want her to meet my family, but I did want her to meet Brad. Out of all my family (maybe except Hannah who was helpless) was the coolest out of them. Brad knew what was in and what wasn't in kids my ages' minds. The worst were Mom and Dad of course but oh well.

I opened the door and Michelle looked really nice. She had a purple top with nice black pants with her hair down. Overall, she looked beautiful. I didn't know how I felt but I knew that I had feelings for her.

"Hi, Michelle."

"Hi, Randy. The person who followed me in is my father."

"I'm Bert Sanford."

"I'm so happy to meet you. I'm Jill Taylor."

"You've met his mother and you can see that she looks basically normal. You can go now."

"I can assure you my husband and l will supervise the whole time. We're very responsible people."

"I'll be right back, Mark." I heard Dad come from the basement.

"There's my husband now. Tim. Come and meet Michelle's father."

"Oh, hi, Michelle's father. Good to see you."

"Tim, don't be rude. Come and shake his hand."

"Not a good time, honey."

"Wait a minute. Aren't you the guy on that tool show? Yes, I am. I love that episode where you lit your sleeve on fire."

"I got that thing on tape. I you wanna watch it, I got it."

Dad walked out and I groaned internally, feeling extremely embarrassed. This was the worst possible time for D3ad to embarrass me. What I wanted was for Dad and Mom to go away so I could have alone time with my friends. I looked at Michelle who shared an embarrassed look. Kids bonded over parents being embarrassing.

"You're wondering why l don't have any pants on, aren't you?"

"Why's your father in his underwear?"

"To ruin my life."

"I switched from brief to boxers because they're freeing then slacks. I'm gonna go and get a pair of Sansabelts on now. You guys just hold still while I get some slacks on. I'll be right back."

…

I stood by Brad and felt really nervous. Part of me wanted to ask Michelle to dance (a big part) while the other part wanted to stay here and have Brad do it. That'd make me seem like a coward so I opted out of that idea. Just standing here mad me seem like a jerk and like I didn't like her. Sometime today I had to ask her to dance and Brad was giving me the same look.

Brad was the one I always asked advice about girls. He knew better than Mom or Dad did about how things like that worked. Though Mom and Dad had good advice, Brad knew better. He knew what girls liked nowadays plus he knew what to say to make them like him. I wasn't like that but I wanted to be. Hence why I asked Brad more than Mom or Dad.

"Why don't you ask Michelle to dance?" Brad gave me a weird look.

"I just ate. You're supposed to wait an hour before you go dancing."

"That's swimming."

"Right. It's two hours before dancing."

"Get over there."

Brad shoved me towards Michelle and I reluctantly walked over. Sometimes, I doubted how helpful Brad could be but he proved me wrong. He'd save me from bullies and help me with Beth and now Michelle. We were brothers and brothers did stuff for each other. Nothing could tear ours (and Hannah's) bond apart, not even a crowbar. Blood is thicker than water!

"Hey, Michelle." I smiled.

"Hi."

"So are you having a good time?"

"Not really."

"Well, neither am I. I'd leave, but this is my house."

"I like your shoes."

"I like your ears. I mean, I just never noticed 'em at school before."

"I always bring them with me."

"Yeah, it's just usually you wear your hair down and you can't see 'em.

But now you can and they really match your nose."

"Thanks."

"I'm really glad your father let you stay."

"I'm really glad your father put some pants on."

Dad walked down and bumped his head on the pole that was hanging. It caused us to look over at him and I internally groaned. Why couldn't he just stay upstairs with Mom? Well, a chaperone had to at least check up on the kids but it still embarrassed me. Dad thought he was cool and hip but Brad and I knew better.

"How come no one's dancing? This floor isn't just for looking at. Sherman. What do you think of the dance floor? l made this for Randy. Did your dad ever make you a dance floor?"

"No. I kept dropping hints, but all l got was a crummy CD player."

"Dad, I thought you told me you'd stay upstairs."

"I thought I'd come down and help get the party going. A little dancing. Everybody, come on. I'm the king. No one gave me nothing. Shut up!"

"Dad. Dad. You're killing me here. Could you go upstairs, please?"

"Yeah, all right."

Dad walked away and started to walk upstairs.

"So, Michelle, do you wanna—?"

"Dance?"

"Yeah, sure. Thanks for asking." Michelle walked there and fell on her ankle with a thud which didn't sound pleasant.

"Michelle, are you OK?"

"I don't think so."

"Give me a hand. Are you all right?"

….

Dad and I helped Michelle up the stairs. He held up one side and I had the other. It hurt me that Michelle was hurting. I loved her a lot and just like with Hannah, I was protective of Michelle too. Nothing and nobody were allowed to hurt Michelle or Hannah for that matter. I'd better include my mom in there since I was protective of her also.

"I think she should go to the doctor."

"I'm not sick. I'm just singing." Mom looked at us.

"Sit here." Dad pointed. He was careful not to wake up Hannah.

"I'm really sorry about this, Michelle." I looked at her.

"What did you do? Tim!"

"I might have put a smidge too much wax on the dance floor."

"A smidge? You could hold Ice Capades on that thing."

"Speaking of which, we need some ice."

"Well, l just put it all in the punch. She'll stick her foot in there. Go ahead, put it in there."

Dad helped Michelle put her foot in the ice and she winced as she stuck it in there and I watched carefully. Sometimes, Dad didn't have the best ideas when it came to health. That was Mom's forte and she was quite a bit better at it than he was. Well, he knew the basics and necessities and such, but sometimes he was a bit odd.

"We'd better call her parents. What's your number?"

"Oh, no one's home. My mom's out of town and my dad's buying a new car."

We need someone to call What kind?"

"Dad."

"My ankle really hurts."

…...

Dad and I carried Michelle into the emergency room and I felt really bad. This was turning out to be a great thirteenth birthday for me. Happy birthday, your dad caused your crush to be in the hospital. Yeah, my birthday was turning out to be a grand one, note the sarcasm here. It was the worst birthday I could think of and the thought of that upset me.

"Oh, great. This place is packed."

"It's busier than usual. You should have had the party in here."

"It's bad enough you might have broken her ankle or sprained it. Don't make her listen to your jokes."

"Just watch her, will you? I'll see if l can move things along. Don't touch him."

Dad walked away and I looked at Michelle. I wondered if she'd ever want to see me again and if she did, I'd be shocked. My parents were super embarrassing, my dad nearly broke her ankle, etc. If she still wanted me after then, I'd be amazed.

"I'm sorry your party bombed out." Michelle looked at me sadly.

"I'm sorry you hurt your ankle."

"When my dad finds out about this, I'll never be able to go to another party again."

"Maybe we can hang out together, 'cause I'll never be invited to another party."

"I'd like to hang out with you. But my dad probably won't let me when he finds out l got hurt on your dad's floor."

I sighed sadly as Dad came in and Marge followed after him. Last year in February, I had come in with Dad. I had sprained my wrist from falling off the sled into a tree, but everything turned out to be alright. Still, I probably looked as bad as Dad did.

Marge took Michelle and put her in the wheelchair. They quickly wheeled her back to the examination room and I felt bad. What if her ankle broke and her dad never let her go to another party again? I'd feel bad and I knew she'd never forgive me.

"She's gonna be just fine. They're good here. Some birthday, huh?"

"It's the birthday I dreamed of - sitting with bleeding, infected people."

"Hey, the day's not over. Maybe we can salvage it yet."

"No. There's no way you can salvage this one, Dad. I finally find out Michelle likes me and now her dad won't let me hang out with her."

"I'll talk to him. He likes Tool Time. He'll understand accidents happen."

…...

I opened the door and Mr. Sanford was there, which shocked me since he wasn't supposed to come for another two hours. He was a "helicopter" parent which was a parent that controlled everything their kids did. Still, how was I gonna tell him that his daughter was in the emergency room? If I was told by someone that my child was in the emergency room, I'd be angry but then terrified along with worried.

"Oh, Mr. Sanford, you're early."

"After seeing your husband in his underwear and your neighbor wandering around naked, I was a little concerned."

"But it seems like everything's under control here."

"Right here? Yeah, everything's really under control. Want some cake?

"No, but l will take some punch. It's very different. Make it yourself?"

"Michelle helped."

"It tastes like she had a hand in it. Where is Michelle?"

"The truth is she's had a little accident. She's at the emergency room. See? Look, there she is."

Tim came in and carried Michelle as Randy walked in with a sad look. My heart broke for my little boy. Though he wasn't little anymore, it broke my heart that Tim had accidentally hurt Michelle. Dads with daughters were quite a bight protective. Don't doubt a mother's love for her son. It's special and no one can break it.

"Sweetheart, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. It's just a sprain. It's a mild sprain. She should be OK in a couple of days."

"How did this happen?"

"Guy builds dance floor for son, guy overwaxes, girl slips and hurts herself, guy feels terrible, girl's father forgives guy."

"Look, Mr. Sanford, it was just an accident."

"Like on Tool Time, the show you like - accidents."

"I like when the accidents happen to you, not to my daughter. I should've followed my instincts. I shouldn't have let you stay. Dad, I should have taken you car shopping."

"What kind of car did you end up with? Gremlin? AMC General? A Hornet?"

"No. For your information, I collect muscle cars. What l'm really looking for is a '70 GTO."

"Yeah! With a big block?"

"Of course with a big block. And I'd love to find a convertible."

"You're a car guy?

"Yeah. I like to take old pieces of junk and restore 'em to cherry."

"I got a '46 Ford convertible I'm trying to retrofit into a hot rod.

"You've got a '46 Ford convertible?"

"I do. Wanna see?"

Tim and Mr. Sanford walked out and I sighed at them. This meant Michelle could come over and Randy would be happy again. It was one of the rare times I was thankful that Tim was so into cars. He now had a car buddy to help when Brad wasn't around. When he was, he'd let both help. It felt to Brad like it was his and I wasn't about to take that away. Nor was Tim.

"Would you like to have some cake?" I cut two pieces of cake for them. "Randy, I am so sorry that your birthday worked out this way. If you want, your father and I can make it up to you by taking you and a bunch of your friends to some kind of concert next weekend."

"Why? ls Lulu doing a world tour?" 


	40. Valentine's Day Love (February 14, 1995)

I walked in and searched for Ashley, finding her at her locker. Today was Valentine's Day so I wanted to surprise her. I had gotten her some flowers and a Vikings teddy bear that had her name on it. No one mattered as much to me as Ashley did. It was worth it seeing Jennifer with Vinnie McGurn. It had been a year since we started dating and we celebrated that back in December before winter break. Now, this was our first Valentine's Day together.

It was my first major Valentine's Day since I had gotten together with Ashley. With Jennifer, I made her a card with Dad's help. She had been out of town while Valentine's Day was going on so I had forgotten to make her anything. I know, I sound like the worst person on Earth. Still, Ashley was a lot more laid back. She didn't judge or act like she was too fancy for anybody.

"Stop rubbing Vinnie in my face, Jennifer," I muttered as Jennifer snubbed me and walked to class, giving me a dark glare.

"What was that, Brad?" Ashley asked as she looked at me curiously.

Her long brown hair made me gush. Today, it was pulled back in a braid. She had a red sweater on with jeans. In her arms, she had her schoolbooks, a wrapped box and an envelope which I guessed was for me. We agreed on not getting expensive gifts and limiting it to only two. We didn't want to be that kind of couple that is gushy every time we're together.

I shook my head and smiled. "Nothing, Ashley. I got your present and card here for you, I hope you like it, Ash."

I handed her the wrapped box and revealed a Vikings teddy bear. She'd come from Minnesota three years ago and her favorite team was the Vikings. Like me, she loved anything football, so I got her football themed Valentine's Day gifs. I hoped she liked them.

"Wow! I love it, Brad! Now I have something to hug when the Vikings win! You are so sweet, I'm so lucky!" Ashley hugged me.

I blushed and smiled at her. "I know how much you like the Vikings and football so I figured why not?"

Ashley grinned happily and hugged me tight. "I'll open the card next."

The card was purple and yellow and on the inside had a football player catching a football and said, "Ashley, you're a great catch!". It was something that I found by chance since it was too expensive to personalize it.

"Aww, you are so sweet! Open your gift next," Ashley smiled.

I opened my gift and smiled at her with a hug. "Thanks, Ash! You know my love for the Lions doesn't compare to mine for you."

Ashley nodded with a big grin. "I know. That'd be petty if it was."

I laughed with a smile and looked at my girlfriend. How was it that we had dated for over a year? It had been fourteen months since I met Ashley. We had the same history class together (the one Randy has now) and we have the same math class. It was something I loved.

"We have to go to Ashley," I hugged her. "I have math class."

Ashley kissed my cheek. "Bye! Thank you for the sweet gifts! See you in class!"

…...

I sat down next to Brad in class and he gave a grin to me. Obviously, Ashley gave him Valentine's Day gifts. Though I loved Michelle, she and I weren't together so that we could get to know each other first. So, Valentine's Day was neither here nor there for me romantic-wise. I had a plan to spoil Hannah later, but I was able to do anything today. Brad and I would be babysitting Mark and Hannah while Mom and Dad went out for a date.

"What'd Ashley get you?" I asked as Brad put his books on the desk. I had mine on there already and Michelle took the spot to my right as her new spot. Ashley sat on Brad's left so we were together.

"She got me a Lions bear and card. Did you do anything for Michelle yet?" Brad asked and smiled at Michelle. "You should come over later today. Ashley is. It can be like a double date."

I looked at Brad with a glare but looked at Michelle with a whisper. "I've liked you for a while, so, would you be interested in going out with me?"

Michelle nodded with a grin. "I've liked you for awhile too, Randy, so yes, we're going out by middle school standards."

I grinned and gave a thankful look towards Brad who returned with a "See how that helped you?" look towards me. Laughing, I snickered as I started folding paper airplanes which Brad seemed eager to help with. Michelle and Ashley volunteered to help so we did it while Mrs. Green was teaching. Since we knew what she was talking about anyways.

"What would we do? Just hang out at your house?"

I shook my head. "My dad has Tool Time if you wanna come with us and go see it today, but I'd be bringing Hannah. I think Dad had in mind a way for Hannah to be a part of the show. So, the four of us could go."

Ashley nodded and grinned with a laugh as a kid picked up the paper airplane and discreetly flew it to another who laughed. "We can do homework while we're there too so that's another perk."

Michelle laughed but looked at me. "Please tell me your dad will keep his pants on this time, I didn't like that view last time."

"Oh, he will," Brad grinned. "Especially with having Hannah with him."

"He's adorable with Hannah. He's so mushy and melts at the sight of her," Ashley added with a smile. "She is pretty adorable though."

"You bet she is," I grinned. "Best sister that someone could ask for."

Michelle smiled. "I can't wait to meet her. She sounds adorable."

"You bet she is." I grinned at her. "Isn't she Brad?"

Brad nodded eagerly. "She's the best. She's super adorable."

I laughed with a smile and we just kept whispering. That was mean, but we were having an awesome time spending together as friends. It this was what having a good group of friends was like, I was happy.

….

I watched Jill walk in with Hannah on her hip and I beamed. This made my day especially better, but my girls always made my days better. When they surprised me at work, I felt over the moon and Hannah's reaction was cute. She loved seeing her daddy and especially when it was on stage. I always tried to wave at her, but today, I was gonna bring her on stage.

"Aww, did you come to surprise Daddy?" I took Hannah, kissed her cheek and put her on my lap and let her play with her toy hammer rattle.

Jill smiled and kissed me. "We wanted to surprise Daddy at work today. We chose to come to lunch and give Daddy a lunch date."

"Well, you certainly are my little warrior princess. You're Daddy's Valentine and always will be, my sweetheart."

I tickled Hannah's chin as she laughed, showing her toothy grin. That always made me melt when I saw babies were their cute grins. This was my daughter, my blood and my sweet little girl. Soon, she'd be walking and running around. Nobody could hurt her and if they did, they'd have a very angry papa bear.

"Is my poor girl getting another tooth. Want Daddy to massage your gum?" I stuck my finger in her mouth and rubbed her sore gum.

Jill kissed my cheek and smiled. "My poor baby."

Hannah cooed and looked up at Jill with a sweet smile and it just melted me again. Her sweet smile made anybody smile. Even Jill's dad (who was pretty tough) was mush in Hannah's hands when he held her. He had never had a granddaughter, so when he got to meet Hannah, he was overjoyed. Lillian too adored her. She made everybody's life better.

"How was work so far?" Jill asked as I bounced Hannah on my hip.

I kissed Hannah's head and laughed with a smile. "Boring until my two sweeties came by to surprise Daddy."

Jill smiled at me and kissed Hannah's head. "My sweet baby doll."

Hannah babbled and played with a toy, happy to be in our arms.

With a coo, Hannah yawned as Jill smiled at me. It was about Hannah's naptime, so Jill had to go back home and take Hannah home for her nap. In about four years, she wouldn't nap anymore and that'd be the end of forced naps. At least until we had grandchildren.

"Mommy has to go put Hannah down for a nap," Jill kissed me. "Bye. Wave bye-by to Daddy, Hannah."

Hannah waved and babbled at me.

"Bye-bye," I kissed her head.

….

I sat with Tim at a table meant for two. Tonight was date night since it was of course Valentine's Day. While we were out on a date, Brad and Randy babysat the younger kids for us. It made us feel good that we had two babysitters on hand that would help us if we needed help.

"So, how's work going?" I asked as I drank wine. Now that Hannah was weaning, I didn't have to be as careful anymore.

"It's good. Al's sometimes a huge pain, but hey, that's how life goes."

"I'm sorry, baby. School is going really good for me and I'm at the top of my class which makes a lot of them jealous."

"I'm so proud of you, baby. Has Hannah crawled yet?"

I nodded with a smile. "She crawled to me today."

He kissed me with a smile. "I'm so proud of her."

I smiled. "Good."

(A/N: Sorry I cut it short! I'm tired and working on something else. I admit with no guilt that I love the Vikings (second favorite team is the Lions). I hope you liked it and update coming tomorrow! I'm trying to at least update daily!))


	41. A House Divided (February 21, 1995)

I walked into the hardware store, holding Hannah on my hip. Since the boys were each at their practices and Jill was at school, I had the baby. It wasn't too bad to take her to the hardware store. In fact, I loved taking her there. Harry and Al loved talking and playing with her. She was quite the charmer, but right now, she was going through a phase where she cried at strangers. Al wasn't as a stranger, but to Hannah, Harry was and she got a little anxious around them.

The hardware store was like paradise to me. It was a place I could go to when I wanted to get away from everything. I could go there when I wanted to escape my wife and my kids. That was mean, but sometimes, I wanted adult time. Harry, Al, Eddie (sometimes) and I were regulars in the hardware store.

"Hey, everybody. How are you doing?" I walked in with Hannah on my hip.

"Benny, how are you?" Al smiled and looked at Hannah. "Hi Hannie."

"Hi, Al. Can you guys loan me a space heater?"

"What for?"

"The furnace in my residence has a gas leak. I don't have the means to get it fixed."

"What kind of dump are you living in now?"

"For your edification, it's an eight-room house. One room, I'm not sure what it is. It's got a lot of books in it."

"You can't afford an eight-room house."

"True, but my beloved aunt is in Florida for a few months. And while the aunt's away, the nephew will stay."

"My guess is he won't pay. And l'm covered till May.

"Hey, a leaky gas valve can be very dangerous." A looked at him.

Hannah made a burping sound and I laughed softly, rubbing her back and looking at her. Even when not trying to be cute, Hannah was adorable. It was crazy that she was almost nine months old. A year ago, Jill was six months pregnant with her. In three months, Hannah would turn a year old. I felt sad that my sweet girl was almost a year old.

"That's right, Benny. It really is."

"Relax. It was shut off weeks ago, the gas."

That means you don't have any hot water? You can't take a shower?" We backed away and I held Hannah protectively.

"I boil water on my hot plate and give myself a nightly sponge bath.

"Makes you glad you're not a sponge, huh? We could help him out. Why don't we take a crew and fix the furnace for that heating and cooling show?"

"That's a good idea.

"Tim, you yourself would do the repairs? Forget it."

"It's free."

"I'm in."

"We can schedule this Monday morning, about 6am."

"Monday's no good for me. I got my Gamblers Anonymous meeting."

I laughed and tickled Hannah's chin. With a laugh. She cooed and looked at me with the biggest smile.

…. 

I sat down on the chair that was provided for me with Hannah on my lap. It was a special Tool Time at Benny's house today. So, I wasn't sure how Hannah would react to seeing Benny. Normally, she's a bit uncomfortable around him and Mom and I are uncomfortable with him being around her. He doesn't know how babies act or why they cry.

Anyways, we were down in the basement, but I figured I might need to take her out since she might be fussy from a dirty diaper.

"I'm Tim Taylor, and you all know my assistant, Al Borland."

"We're here on location at the Barony home. Our project today is fixing a gas furnace. If we have time, we'll fix this broken windowpane, put on some new gutters, maybe some new shutters."

"Maybe we'll do a TV show. Maybe we'll call it Tool Time. Maybe I'll be the host and you'll be the humorless assistant. First we should get to our leaky gas valve in the furnace. With any kind of gas leak, make sure you shut the gas off to the home."

"The gas is been turned off here. Let's take a peek at our leak. Watch your step, buddy."

"Speaking of peeks, aren't those drawers a little tight on you, Al? Ow!" Dad banged his head on the pole like he did in our basement and I laughed with Hannah making a sad face.

"Sometimes these old furnaces are tough, you know. You gotta Oh, boy! Marv, if you get down here, we'll find that valve."

"In these ones they're hard to see 'cause sometimes they're right there in front of you. There's that pesky little devil, there."

"Now, the first thing we wanna do is loosen up the flexible connector with a seven-eighths-inch wrench."

"Then you wanna loosen the module control wires, here. Then you wanna loosen up Al with a stiff martini."

"Simply unscrew the old gas valve like that. We're ready for the new one.

Before we put this in, seal the valve at the gas inlet and outlet. We need a compound known as plumber's dope. Tim, where's the plumber's dope?"

"Once you've applied the plumber's dope, we'll put on our new gas valve and we're ready to reconnect the wiring."

"We've reconnected the wiring. All we have to do is reconnect Al. We've reconnected Al. Let's see if the furnace is working. For that, let's go to Heidi and the gas cam. Heidi? My gas, please."

I laughed and Hannah babbled, waving and reaching towards Dad eagerly. She found it interesting that he was right in front of her. With a smile, Dad waved and blew a kiss towards her. She squealed happily. I kissed her head and Dad smiled at us. One day when I went to college, I'd have a hard time leaving my little sister behind. Someday when I had kids, I knew Hannah would love being an aunt.

"There you go, Tim."

"All right. We bypassed the thermostat upstairs with this little switch. Flick her on. See if she goes. All ready to go. Put the panel back on."

"Now, if you still have a problem, there's many possibilities that These old furnaces sometimes are tough."

"That's all we have for today. Catch us next time when we do our salute to toilets."

….

I walked toward Heidi and Heidi took Hannah with a smile. With a babble, Hannah didn't seem afraid of her or crying so I didn't make a fuss. Heidi loved her plus it gave my arms a break for a while. It was nice that we had refreshments here since I was hungry and hadn't eaten any of the school food. I just didn't like it. The food was disgusting at school and delicious here.

"Aww aren't you cute? Did your mommy dress you up in something adorable?" Heidi cooed at her.

"Hey, that was a really great show." Heidi bounced Hannah on her hip.

"Thank you, Heidi. You know, on these location Tool Times, l feel the audience gets to see the real Al."

"Zip up your fly, the real Al's gonna make a personal appearance. Finish those doughnuts. The truck's packed."

"I'm from across the street. You're on that show, Tool Time, aren't you?"

"Yes we are."

"So, what brings you to the neighborhood?"

"Oh, we just fixed the leak in Mrs. Barony's furnace. What about the leak in the stove?"

"Well, we're, uh The stove?"

"That's why she shut off the gas before she left for Florida."

"Benny! Did your aunt happen to mention that there's also a gas leak in the stove?"

"Maybe. It's hard to understand her when she's not wearing her teeth."

"You realize there's the possibility gas has been leaking in for the last half hour? A spark could cause combustion."

"I disconnected all the electrical appliances like you told me. Except that lamp over there. But don't worry. It's the kind that only goes on when you clap."

"Come on, guys. Let's go." Dad clapped.

We all jumped to the ground with Heidi shielding Hannah. The house burst and I knew that Benny's house was worthless right now. He'd probably have to stay at our house which would just make Mom a happy camper. She'd get really angry, but we couldn't help that. She'd let us take Hannah to Tool Time since this was Benny's fault.

"Let me guess. There was another leak?"

"The stove."

….

Upstairs, Hannah was sleeping so I tried to keep the house nice and quiet. The two didn't seem to know that she was asleep, but their yelling would wake her up. That'd make me an angry momma bear and I was quick to come to their defense. I always put them first since they were the most important people. I didn't always give in to their wants, but I always put their needs first.

"I don't care. You blew up my house." Benny yelled and I glared at him.

"I didn't blow up your house."

"Hey, guys, can you keep it down? I'm trying to work and the baby is upstairs napping in bed."

"Yeah, yeah. Come on, Benny."

"Hiya, roomie.'

"I beg your pardon?" I looked up at him. Randy gave me a look that said he would go and soothe Hannah who was now crying.

"Didn't I tell you I was gonna tell her?"

"Tim blew up my house. Need l say more?"

"I didn't blow up your house. I didn't blow up his house. There was a gas leak we tried to fix, and there was an explosion. So I said until we figure out what we should do, he should stay here."

"Don't worry. Tim said he's gonna fix up the house better than new. And I won't be an imposition. You won't even know I'm here."

'How long won't we know that you're here? - A couple of days.

"Indefinitely.'

I sighed and looked towards the stairs. While I thought Benny was a nice guy, I didn't trust him around Hannah much. He didn't know how to care for a baby and he didn't know what certain things meant. He didn't know how to discern cries (the boys even Mark knew how) or how to change a diaper. The thought of Benny taking care of Hannah scared me.

….

I sat at the table, eating some cereal for breakfast. Jill would've made breakfast, but Benny ate all of our food. He was at least smart enough to leave Hannah's baby food alone so we weren't too concerned about that. Most babies didn't even like all that food so we weren't too worried. If we kept running out of food, we'd have to move to the grocery store.

Jill was giving me a dark glare while rocking Hannah in her arms. Hannah cooed and cuddled into Jill, with Jill rubbing her back and softly humming. The boys had been extremely protective of Hannah as had Jill and I. Benny just didn't know how to handle a baby. He didn't know CPR. Randy glanced protectively at Hannah.

"How come we're not eating eggs? Or bacon or toast?" Mark asked.

"Benny ate 'em." Jill glanced at me.

"Who ties up the phone, puts dark laundry in with whites and watches TV on our TV downstairs all night?" Brad asked.

"Benny."

"Who do we want out of the house?" Randy asked.

"Benny!"

"I don't know. I kinda like having Uncle Benny around."

"'Uncle' Benny?"

"Yeah. He says when I'm 12 he's gonna take me to Vegas and get me comped."

"Why did his house have to blow up?" Brad frowned.

"Ask Mr. Claphappy."

"I didn't blow up the house.'

"You gotta find him a place to stay."

"I've tried to find him a place. Harry won't take him. He laughed and hung up. I even called some sisters. They hung up."

Benny walked down and Hannah whimpered, hiding her face into Jill. Benny seemed to scare babies in general. He'd come over once when Marty's twins were over with Marty and Nancy. Needless to say, they wailed. They along with Hannah didn't like him too much. Nancy and Jill didn't like him while Marty and I thought of him as a friend.

"Morning, Benny."

"Hey, Tim, I borrowed your bathrobe."

"That's my bathrobe." Jill frowned.

"I should've known. It feels so soft against my body. I'll put it back."

"Keep it."

Jill gave a disgusted look towards Benny.

….

Dad walked down and I had Hannah in my arms. It was something that I loved. It was a rare moment when Dad, Mom, Brad or Randy weren't holding her. My sweet baby sister was snuggled close to my shoulder, her head buried. She obviously couldn't help, so I would babysit her while they worked since I was too young and they didn't trust Benny with Hannah. It was something we were all looking forward to. Benny would be out of our house!

"Come on, hustle up! Come on! Come on! Come on!"

"Dad, why did we have to get up at five in the morning?" Brad groand.

"We're gonna do building. Wilson and Heidi on wiring, Al and Harry, dry-wall and carpets, Mom and l on windows."

"Why do I have to go?" Mom whined.

"Think about it. The faster we get Benny into his house, the faster we get him out of our house."

"OK, everybody. Move it. Let's go. Let's go. Come on. Hyah! Move it."

I sat on the chair next to Benny with Hannah in my arms while Benny played cards with me. Every so often, I'd skip my turn so that I could make Hannah feel better by feeding or rocking her. While I liked both of them, I of course preferred my little sister. At first, I wasn't crazy about not being the youngest (or having a sister), I loved being a big brother.

"Having fun, guys?"

"Oh, it's a dream come true, fixing a house that you barbecued."

"I didn't blow up this house."

 _You keep thinking that, Dad,_ I thought sarcastically to myself.

….

I stood by the doorway after twelve hours at least of working on fixing Benny's house and finally having it done. We had his house done and our house back to just having the six of us there again. While I liked Benny, he can be a bit of a pain to live with, especially when there's children in the house. He didn't understand what babies did or that they needed constant attention. I was glad to be done since my feet were killing me.

"I got Benny a place to stay, and a new project house for Tool Time."

"Oh, I'm so tired. I think my feet are just gonna fall off."

"I'll rub 'em when we get home."

"They've been in work boots for 18 hours."

"I'll spray them for you."

"This has been fun today, working together."

"Yeah, it has."

'I don't think that this whole day we had one argument with all this fixing and building. What's important is we're good at this. We should get a contractor's license, go on the road and do odd jobs. We'd be together 24 hours a day. Seven days a week. Sharing our innermost feelings."

"Help me."

Benny walked over and luckily staled the conversation to my relief. In the station wagon, Hannah and the boys were all slumped over, fast asleep. It made me laugh and want to go aww. The kids were tired out and Hannah was normally asleep at this time.

"i just want to thank you for everything you did."

"You're welcome, buddy."

"Though I'm not crazy about the paint job. Can I impose upon you for a second coat?"

"Honey? Ready to go?"

"Mm. Bye, Benny." Jill got in the car.

"Bye-bye." I got in the car and started it.

"Maybe just a different color?"


	42. The Naked Truth (March 1, 1995)

I walked down the stairs with Brad as we went to get a snack and hang out downstairs since we were bored. It was after school and we had nothing to do since our homework was already done. Dad filmed Tool Time earlier, so Hannah and I couldn't go. It upset me a bit, but I didn't care since I had hockey practice anyways. Mom was out with Hannah shopping and Dad was out at the store again.

"I can't wait till Saturday. Sherman's bar mitzvah's gonna be awesome."

"I thought you had to be Jewish to go to a bar mitzvah?" Mark looked at me as I heard Hannah crying upstairs

"Right, Mark. And you have to be Swiss to eat cheese."

"What is a bar mitzvah, anyways?"

"When a Jewish boy turns 13, they say a bunch of prayers, and his family throws him a huge party, with lots of food and tons of presents." Brad walked over to Mark and I stood there, eating some yogurt.

"Cool. You think if I start praying now, I could have a bar mitzvah?" Mark had a hopeful look.

"Mark, why don't you do that? Tomorrow you can pray for a new brain." Brad looked at him with a laugh.

"I just hope I don't get yours."

Brad hit him upside the head and I laughed as Mom came in. She had a bag in one hand and Hannah was on her hip. With a laugh, Hannah squealed when she saw us and reached toward me. I walked over and took her from Mom. She babbled and cuddled. It was amazing that she was now nine months old. A year ago, Mom was seven months pregnant with her. Our family now felt… well, complete. We didn't need anyone else.

"Hi, kids. Randy, I picked up your suit at the dry cleaners I got a bunch of stuff you left in the pockets - a half-sucked candy cane and a phone message you never gave me."

"Oh, yeah. Call Grandma." I handed Hannah back to Mom and walked upstairs with Brad and Mark.

…...

Tim walked in and hung up his coat with a smile on his face. Laughing, Hannah gave the cutest grin and reached towards Tim to be held. I walked over and handed her to him as he kissed me and then kissed Hannah's cheek. He put her on his hip and smiled at me. What was he so happy about? Was Marty about to come to town or had Harry given him a free tool? Either one of those made Tim the happiest man on Earth which made me happy.

"Hey, honey. You'll never guess who called."

"My mother."

"Yeah, but that was a couple days ago."

"Thank you. That's a week sooner than you usually give me the message.'

"I knew it was important. My brother Marty called. He and Nancy are driving down on Friday. They want to stay over."

"Oh, that's great! I get to see the babies again. Hannah gets a playmate!"

"Oh, no. The little pooper troopers are staying with Mom. He's got a job interview on Saturday. If he gets that job, I think they'll move here."

"Great. We'd get to play with those babies all the time. And Hannah could grow up with her cousins!"

"And I get to play with my baby brother.

"You're not gonna put him in a red ant hill again, are you?"

"I think I've grown out of that kind of prank."

I laugh and then tickle Hannah's cheek. With a laugh, Hannah flashed a toothy smile at us and Tim beamed at her. Tim kissed her cheek and tickled her which made her laugh. That girl made Tim mushy in a way that only a daughter can make a dad feel. My sisters and I made our dad feel that way. She made me mushy in a way a daughter can only make a mom feel and made me laugh.

….

I cooked pancakes as Tim ate something at the table. On his hip, Marty held Hannah and poured coffee with the other hand. It was a normal thing for Marty to want to constantly hold his niece (and Nancy too) like me with the twins. It was cute how much Marty loved Hannah. He was a doting uncle like with the boys. She seemed to love him too.

Hannah babbled at Marty who laughed and kissed her head. Their relationship was so cute and it made Jill smile along with me. He would do anything to make her smile just like the rest of us would and he just adored her. This sweet little being who was only five pounds was now almost nineteen. She cooed and babbled with a sweet smile on her face.

"If I get this job, I'd be working for one of the fastest-growing sporting goods stores in the state. It's got through-the-roof potential. Isn't that right, my favorite niece?" Marty cooed.

"Honey, that's just how I felt when I started with Binford.'

"Yeah, and Tim's been through seven or eight roofs."

"Actually, six, and a Porta-Potti."

.

"You sure you don't want some pancakes?" Jill smiled and Hannah made a mad face at the pancakes and I laughed.

"No, thanks. Before an interview I don't eat heavy.

"My pancakes aren't heavy. Here, try that one."

Marty made a silly face at Hannah who laughed. Running in, Nancy walked in with a smile and cooed at Hannah. Again, Hannah made anyone smile by just being there and smiling at them. Nancy loved being an aunt to a niece and she and Jill had a tight bond. They bonded over being mothers to girls and gave tips to Jill along with hand-me down clothes from the twins. Nancy smiled at Hannah and tickled her chin.

"I'm back. I just ran about five miles. Didn't I, Hannah?" Nancy cooed. "Did you call home? How is everything?"

'My mom's fine.'

"I was talking about the babies."

"I don't know. They wouldn't come to the phone."

Nancy swatted his arm and Hannah laughed, her eyes looking up at him.

"I can't believe you! Your first morning away from the kids. You could sleep in."

"I am determined to get my old body back. I still have a few more pounds to lose."

"Oh, you look great. I'd take that body in a minute."

"So would I." Tim teased.

"What does that mean?"

"I could wear the jogging bra I've always wanted to."

"I picture you more in a strapless push-up."

"How comfortable is that bra? Does it chafe? I'm sensitive in this area." Tim, enough with the bra.

"I'm off to the job interview. Wish me luck."

"Hey, you don't need luck. You're a Taylor."

"That's right. You need directions."

"That reminds me. I got a map for you out in the car."

Marty handed off Hannah to Nancy who smiled and tickled her. Leaving, Tim left to give the map to Marty and that left Nancy, Hannah and me. It was cute how much Nancy and Marty loved their nephews and niece. Hannah was a cute little thing! I was busy today, so I planned to have Marty and Nancy babysit since they usually jumped at the chance. They and Randy had bonds with her that were adorable.

"You want some pancakes?"

"I'd love some. But then I'd have to run about another six miles. I think I'll take a hot shower. My back gets stiff when l don't run on the track."

"That's good, but use our bathroom, Randy's been in his all morning."

"Oh, has he got a big date?

"Big bar mitzvah. Oh, my gosh. I gotta run out and get Sherman a present. I'll see you later." I took Hannah from her. "Bye!"

….

I walked in after giving Marty the map and hung my coat up. There didn't seem to be anybody in the house right now. Had Jill gone out with Nancy and Hannah? The boys were obviously upstairs, so I wasn't completely alone. Maybe Nancy had gone up and headed back to bed? Anyways, I hung my coat up and smiled. Marty had a job interview and I knew he'd make it. He was a Taylor. Taylors always get the job when they interview.

"Nancy? Jill? Hey, Jill?" I walked upstairs and into the bedroom. With a smile, I walked into the bedroom and the master bedroom with a smile "Honey? Jill? Jill."

I opened the curtain with a smile but gasped in horror when I saw it was Nancy and let go of the curtain. What would Marty think when I told him I accidentally saw her naked? "You're not Jill! I'll go now. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"No, no. I'm sorry."

"I thought Jill was in there, you're not Jill. I need a sign-in sheet. You know, "Nancy in, Tim out."

"I shouldn't have used your bathroom. Randy was in the other one."

"There's nothing to explain. For gosh sakes, we're two mature adults that happened to see each other's hoo-hoos."

"Why be embarrassed? It's not like we haven't seen a naked body before."

"We have nothing to be ashamed of. When you think about it, it's funny."

"Yeah, it's funny."

'Yeah. Marty and Jill are gonna laugh at this."

"I don't think it's that funny."

"You think they're gonna get upset?"

"I don't think we should tell them."

"It was an accident. They'll understand.'

"I don't think Jill will understand. After all those jokes l made about the jogging bra, I think it's best we just let it go."

I sigh with embarrassment and look at the ground. When Jill found out, she would be extremely mad and would give me the silent treatment. That was the absolute worst thing that could happen to me. She knew it and only did it when I was in deep trouble. Hannah would eventually do it to me and it would be worse coming from my daughter. I wasn't looking forward to having a teenage girl, but she'd be the only kid in the house by then. 

….

I sat on the counter and was talking to Mom's mom since she had called. Randy and I aren't the best at delivering messages (neither is Mark) bac to Mom. Dad's not good either so none of us boys are good. It was boring since I was the only one in the house at the time. Mark was at a friend's house and Randy was at his friend Sherman's bar mitzvah. Mom was out to lunch with Nancy and Hannah and Dad was out shopping.

"No, Grandma, Mom's not here. She's having lunch with Aunt Nancy. I'll give her the message. I'm writing it down right now. OK. Love you too." I hung up and looked at Randy. "Sherman's bar mitzvah's already over?"

"No, but for me it's in limbo."

"What do you mean?" I looked at him.

"I, uh, split my pants doing the limbo. Where's Mom? l need her to sew these back up so l can get back to the party."

"She's not here." I looked at him.

"What am I gonna do? I know. Staple me shut."

Out of pure boredom, I took the stapler and held the ripped seam in Randy's pants and started stapling. It sounds gross, but it actually was working since Mom wasn't here to sew it. Dad walked in and we grinned at him and kept on.

"I hate to pry, fellas. What are you doing?"

"Randy split his pants doing the limbo."

"You're using a stapler to fix it? That's material on human flesh, pal. Let me get my hot glue gun."

Randy and I walked off upstairs to keep stapling the clothes shut.

….

I walked in with Nancy with a smile. In my arms, Hannah was passed out and fast asleep, probably dreaming of cats. Those were her favorite animals. She loved cats, all kinds, big and small. Anyways, Hannah cuddled into my shirt and snored. Tim walked over and kissed me. He kissed Hannah's head and took her gently. She had her arm around Tim's neck which made him smile. His big arm was gently holding Hannah and I could tell she was making his heart melt. She had Daddy around her tiny finger and looked so cute.

"Hey! Nance, Jill. I got the job."

Nancy and I hugged each other with a smile.

Oh, great! I knew you would1" Nancy hugged Marty.

"Congratulations! Welcome to the neighborhood.

"Thanks very much."

…..

Jill and I sat at the table at the bar. Since Marty had gotten the job, we decided to celebrate, just the four of us. Brad and Randy agreed to babysit Hannah and Mark so we were able to go. It was Marty and Nancy's last night here in Detroit since they had to get things ready. They'd move in May, around the time of Hannah's birthday, but they had to prepare.

"Hey, I want to propose a toast. My new job, to Tim and Jill for all your encouragement, and to my lovely wife, - who's always been there for me. Who l must say is looking particularly delightful in this outfit. Don't you think so, Tim?"

"I never notice what she's wearing. I noticed what Jill's wearing. And it looks lovely."

"Thank you, sweetie. It is gonna be so great to have you living nearby. Tim and l can baby-sit for you any time. We can set up playdates for them and Hannah and sleepovers when they're older. They'll be walking and talking soon and Hannah's not far behind them."

"I can't believe they're a year old and Hannah's nine months."

"Seems like just yesterday you were pregnant and me with my first girl."

"You drove up to Saginaw and surprised Nancy during her shower."

We sat at the table and ate as I needed a distraction. I heard a random song playing and the idea popped into my head. We could dance and that'd get us to change the topic. Nancy gave a glance at me to talk, but Jill didn't seem to notice and neither did Marty. They were animatedly talking about Hannah's first birthday.

"Isn't that our song?"

"We don't have a song."

"We do now. Let's dance."

"Nance? Come on. You OK? You're acting even stranger than normal."

"I'm all right."

"You have a problem with Nancy? You seem uncomfortable around her."

"I'm not uncomfortable. I think she's great. The more I see of her, the more l like her."

Marty decided to cut in and I looked at him uncomfortably. Sooner or later, we had to tell him and he'd be really mad at me. He'd never take it out on his nephews or niece, but he'd be angry. We wouldn't talk for a while but we'd work it out.

"I'm cutting in. I want to dance with my beautiful sister-in-law."

"What about me?"

"I'll dance with you next time. In the meantime, you dance with your beautiful sister-in-law."

I put my hand on Nancy's waist and the other holding her hand. It made me extremely uncomfortable and Nancy knew it. Both of us were uncomfortable. I hated to admit this, but we needed to tell Jill and Marty. Or we'd be awkwardly avoiding each other forever.

"This is ridiculous. There is so much space between us we could fit in another person."

We sat down to eat and I looked at the menu nervously. Marty was gonna be really mad at me and I hated having my baby brother be mad. I thought of him as my best friend more than my brother. I'd do anything for him and I never let anybody make fun of him.

"I think there's something Tim and l should share. Tim and I saw each other naked in the shower by accident."

….

I walked in from the now awkward dinner and was relieved to not hear Hannah crying since my head already hurt. Thankfully, she slept through the nights now so we didn't have to get up early anymore. Well, she got up at five AM, but she was getting to be more and more independent. It made me really sad. My sweet baby didn't need me as much anymore.

"Hey, everybody, come on! Well, was that a fun evening or what?"

"Put me down for 'what'."

"Will you let it go, Marty? The whole thing was totally innocent." Nancy walked and sat down on the chair.

"Sure, to you and Peeping Tim here."

"Marty, it was an accident, OK? It was like the first time that guy Buddha sold his first naked cheese."

"How can you feel anything but pity for a man like this?"

"I don't like the idea that you saw my wife with no clothes on."

"Grow up. Would it make you feel better if you saw my wife with no clothes on?"

"Tim!"

"Well."

"Marty!"

….

I walked in our bedroom and shut the door. Jill started folding laundry and I took my shoes off, still feeling horrible. Thankfully, Marty and I had worked it out. I told him it was purely accidental (Nancy agreed), he settled down. He told me he knew I wasn't that kind of guy. Plus, I loved Jill's body more. I was biased since I was her husband but that was a different matter. My wife was the most beautiful woman in the world to me.

"Can you believe Marty? He's the most immature guy I've ever met."

"That would be the guy who thought a fair trade would be to see his wife naked."

"I was just doing that to calm him down. Nobody wants to see you naked."

"Thank you so much."

"I'm sorry. Other than me, nobody wants to see you naked.

"Look, it didn't bother me that you saw Nancy naked. I don't understand why you didn't tell me."

"Nancy didn't think it would be a good idea."

"Admit it. You didn't tell me about it because you liked what you saw."

"I didn't like it. I didn't hate it."

"You liked what you saw and you felt a little guilty about it."

"I felt real guilty about it. That's good. It proves one thing: I trained you well. Even though it was an accident, you feel guilty. That's good. I like it."

"Because of you, l can't even enjoy the sight of another naked woman."

"That is the nicest thing you ever said to me."

"I meant every word of it."


	43. Day in the Life (2) (March 8, 19950

(A/N: I did a Day in the Life part one which was the morning in about January so I decided to a part two which was afternoon and evening. I hope this isn't boring and if it is, I'm sorry! Sorry for not updating yesterday, I was doing stuff for work!)

I walked out with Hannah in my arms since Dad was parked out front. Most days, he picked us up from the house to take us to Tool Time. I'd go and take care of her while Dad did the show. We'd sit in the audience and Dad loved to charm the audience by making her laugh. It was the part of the day I looked forward to since it gave me alone time with Hannah. Well, it wasn't alone but I loved it regardless and it'd go on until I went to college.

I buckled Hannah in her car seat and shut the door. I got in the front and buckled up with Dad smiling at me. He seemed to love the company too and getting to have time with his son and daughter.

"So, how was school today?" Dad asked as he drove.

Hannah babbled at her toys and seemed blissfully happy. She wouldn't need to eat or need her diaper changed during the show (hopefully), so she was usually happy.

"It was good. Michelle and I got to work on a project together. We got an A on it," I smiled and looked at him. "Vinnie got in trouble too."

Dad smiled and looked at the mirror. "Are you having fun back there, sweetheart?"

I looked at him. "I made new ideas for the murals on Hannah's walls."

"You did? That's great, buddy! What are they?"

"I'll keep the family one, but I'll change it to how we look now. I'll change the one of her as a baby to her doing a pirouette as a toddler. The one with her and Mom and her and you I'll change a bit, mostly just changing you and her."

"That sounds great buddy! You're so thoughtful!" Dad smiled at me.

I smiled and Hannah made a burping sound which caused Dad and me to laugh. It was the cutest sound and we preferred it to crying. She didn't like to stay quiet for very long so she was like Mom. Both could go on for hours, but I loved both. If I found out that someone was hurting my sister and mother, I'd flip. Nobody could hurt them without having to deal with Dad, Mark, Brad and me.

Dad pulled into the parking lot at Tool Time and opened the door. He opened the door and unbuckled Hannah, putting her on his hip. Happily, she hugged his neck and squealed with joy as he pretended to run to the door. If there was one thing that Dad was good at, it was making people laugh.

"Hey guys! Hannah looks so cute. Jill picks the cutest outfits," Heidi stroked Hannah's head and she babbled at her.

"Well, Jill just loves picking out the clothes. She seems to love dressing her up. It's gonna be really funny when Hannah wants to pick out her own outfits."

"Your seats are where they normally are," Al smiled and Dad let me take Hannah.

Hannah protested a little but calmed down when she saw that it was just me. She laughed eagerly and started eating some cheerios. We'd have a fun time here. We would go home afterwards and start settling down.

"Does everybody know what time it is?" Heidi asked as Hannah babbled.

"Tool Time!" We yelled eagerly and Hannah clapped her hands.

"That's right! Here's our host—Tim the Tool-Man Taylor!"

We clapped and Hannah squealed as Dad walked out. Every time he walked out, she did that so we found it finny. She loved seeing Dad walk out from here so, we sometimes played peek-a-boo on the set.

"I am Tim the Tool-Man Taylor and here's my assistant, Al Borland! Hi, Randy. Hi Hannah, sweetheart."

Hannah cooed and waved back eagerly.

"With spring coming near us in a few weeks, Al and I decided that we should do a string of projects that prepare your house for spring. Today, we've decided to work on the siding. It can get damaged from all the wind and snow in the house."

"That's right, Tim, and it's an easy job even Tim can do it."

Dad gave a glare and smiled at the camera. "First, you need cut the corner post. Measure it so there's a ½ inch gap in the top of the post and eave of the house."

Al nodded. "Cut the length you need. Use snips to cut through the flange."

Dad and Al continued to talk about working on siding and I rocked Hannah. It had been a long and exhausting day. Though I felt bad, I had been zoning them out but trying to be able to hear if Hannah was sleeping. Most of the time, I could tell if it was supposed to be funny or not. Thankfully, Hannah was sleeping so I let myself relax, but I kept watching.

"Nail the corner post to the post. Fasten the post every twelve inches," Dad told and waved at Hannah who was cooing.

"Determine the lowest part of the wall and draw a chalk line where the siding will be added." Al drew the chalk line and Hannah yawned tiredly.

I started rocking Hannah and humming softly.

"Nail the starter strip into the house. Fasten every ten inches," Dad smiled at me. He must've seen that Hannah was sleeping.

Dad ended the show since it was time and I walked over to him with Hannah in my arms and he gently took Hannah from me. She whimpered but cuddled into him and I followed him happily. Rubbing her back, Dad softly hummed and we headed to the car to go home. Another Tool Time was over. Until tomorrow.

….

I started cooking supper as Brad and Mark worked on homework. Tonight, I was making macaroni and cheese with spam and peas since it was Mark's favorite. His tenth birthday (no longer in the single digits!) was in three weeks. Plus, I felt like making it tonight. Hannah wasn't able to have some of it yet, but she had other foods at her high chair.

"Hey baby," Tim walked in and smiled at me.

"Hey hon," I kissed him and took Hannah from him. "Hi sweetheart. Were you a good girl for Daddy and Randy?"

Hannah babbled which I took as a yes and she hugged my neck. She seemed happy to see me so that just made my day. When I was having a bad day (like today), just looking at my family made things better. Hannah made me happy in a way that only a daughter can. She had the sweetness of a girl but she was sassy and funny like me so she was a mommy's girl.

"She was a good girl," Randy smiled. "She slept for most of the time."

"Did you have a nap?" I kissed her head. "Let's put you in the highchair and then we can have some dinner. How's that sound, sweetie?"

She cooed happily which I took as a yes so I put her in the highchair and strapped her in her seat while Brad and Mark put their homework away and came back. The boys sat down in their seats along with Tim and I started serving supper. Tim put some food out for Hannah and let her feed herself. The boys scarped down the mac n cheese and I smiled.

"How was everyone's day?" I smiled.

Hannah mashed some of her food but ate some Cheerios.

"Mine was good. Mario Andretti stopped by earlier and sent a gift for Hannah."

"Aww, that's sweet. What was it?"

"He gave a racing dress and tickets for us to see one of his races."

"That's sweet of him. Brad, how was yours? Did you and Ashley do anything?"

Brad nodded with a laugh. "One of our teachers was out for the week, so we have a study hall teacher that lets us do whatever we want."

"Randy?" I looked at him.

"Michelle and I got to work on a paper! It was boring, but then we got to hang out and she said that I can come over soon!"

"Aww, Randy! That's great! Mark?"

"Nothing really happened but I got a 100 on my test."

I smiled and took the plates to the sink. Dinner was over and that meant that the routine for bedtime for Hannah would start. While we did that, the boys would do homework or go hang out. It was a whatever time so we did whatever. Usually, Tim would do the bath and I would pick out some pajamas for Hannah. I then did homework for college and read a book.

"Let's go give you a bath," Tim smiled at Hannah.

….

I picked up Hannah and cuddled her close. It was around bath time and Hannah knew that it was coming. Unlike most babies, Hannah enjoyed taking a bath. She hated being dirty and loved when I massaged her too so I knew she'd be expensive. She would love the spa treatment like her mommy and be a mini Jill. If she was or wasn't, I wouldn't care. As long as my baby girl was happy, I wouldn't care. I was not crazy about the idea of her dating, but I hoped he'd be like her brothers.

"Are you excited for a bath, sweetie?" I took off her clothes.

I had cotton balls, two towels, a cup, a diaper and her pajamas (handed by Jill).

I drew the water (lukewarm) and it was only about three inches tall. I didn't trust it being any higher.

Before doing anything else, I put a mat under Hannah and washed her face gently. I threw away the cotton balls and took off her diaper.

"You love your baths don't you, sweetheart?" I kissed her head.

She babbled happily and I laughed, kissing her head. I lowered her in the tub and gently set her down. Eagerly, she babbled and splashed at the water. I washed her hair with baby soap and gently rinsed it out with a cup. She was playing with a toy duck that Wilson had gotten her. She babbled and looked at me with a smile. That girl was usually happy.

"You're being such a good girl!" I smiled and rinsed her head.

I gently washed her body and she laughed softly, babbling as much as Jill. How was it possible that my baby was nine months old? The last week of March would make it that she was ten months old. She was only three/two months away from turning a yea rold and it made me sad. My baby girl was growing up and there was nothing that I could do about it.

"All done! My baby girl is all clean!" I coo at her and gently lift her out.

She babbled and I kissed her head. I dried her off with the towel and Randy was standing outside the door. He wanted to kiss her goodnight.

Hannah babbled eagerly at seeing Randy. The two had a special bond.

"Good night, Sissy," Randy kissed her head and walked off.

"Say night-night, Hannah."

I waved her hand and Jill followed me. Gently, I set her on the changing table and gave her a soft massage. With a coo, she laughed and Jill dressed her in her pink pajamas that made her look adorable (more than she was already).

"Daddy loves you, sweet girl," I rock her and put her down in her crib. I kissed her head and tucked her in. "Good night, sweetheart. Daddy loves you."

"Mommy loves you, sweetheart." Jill kissed her head.

We walked out and closed the door. Since Hannah would be putting herself to sleep, we were free to do whatever we wanted. We headed up to our bedroom since what we wanted to do was up there. No, it wasn't what most people think. Tim had a magazine and I had a book for class.

"Good night, Mark," I hugged him and kissed his head. "Good night, Randy."

"Night, Dad," They hugged us and Brad did too.

I walked into our bedroom and shut the door. Another successful day!


	44. Spring Break in Houston (March 15,1995)

I sat in the car with my mom, sister Carrie and my daughter, Hannah. Since it was spring break, Tim and I decided to go to Texas to visit my family. There was no filming for Tool Time since everyone was busy. Al, Cal and their mom were gone and had left for Washington to see their uncle. Heidi had gone to visit her family so they decided to post-pone Tool Time until next week. Anyways, we were heading shopping and then to lunch.

"How is my sweet granddaughter back there?" Mom asked as I sat in the back and looked over at Hannah.

"She's fine, Mom," I smile and look over with a smile.

Hannah was sleeping in the car and I felt myself just gushing with love again. In about six weeks, we'd have a one-year-old. It made me sad that I wouldn't have a baby again after her since she was our last one. The next babies would be my nieces and nephews or my grandchildren. Of course, I still had a few years where she'd idolize me.

"Wanna get some clothes for Hannah?" Carrie asked as Mom parked.

"I'd love to. She's in need of some clothes that are 12-24 months anyways."

Mom parked and I got out. Walking to the other door, I opened the door and unbuckled Hannah. I picked her up and she babbled at me, seeming happy to get out of the car. Though Hannah liked car rides, she often got bored if there wasn't music or if someone wasn't entertaining her. It just depended on the day and if she was with her "favorite" people (Tim, Brad, Mark, Randy, Wilson, Al or me).

I strapped Hannah in her stroller and started pushing it towards the door. It was about the time she would nap so she would probably nap in the stroller. If Nancy was here, she'd have the twins and we could shop for baby stuff together. I loved to shop with my mom and sisters so I was happy. They got time with their niece or granddaughter so I was happy.

"Does she like shopping?" Carrie asked as we walked into the local Younker's.

I nodded with a shrug. "She seems to like that and football too."

"With three brothers and a father who love football, it's bound to happen."

I laughed and nodded as I found a dress. "She'll be a girly-girl who loves sports and won't let anyone defeat her."

"Reminds me of a certain someone," Mom indicated that she meant me.

I laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

With a whimper, Hannah started to cry from a dirty diaper and I unstrapped her. The smell was incredibly awful but Mom didn't seem to notice. Carrie looked through clothes and Mom was checking out a blue sparkly dress. She loved blue and gray clothes. She must've known that those were the Lions' colors. She was a very smart cookie—she was scary smart.

"Let's go change your diaper, sweetie. I think you went poopy," I walked in the bathroom and found the changing table.

I set her down on the changing table and took off her pants. Gently, I opened her diaper and wiped her bottom. It was a bit red so she had a diaper rash, but we had some diaper cream. I applied the cream gently and smiled at her. She seemed to be happy today so I was relieved. I slid the diaper under her bottom and closed the tabs, making a funny face. I slid her pants back on.

"Is my sweet girl feeling all better now? Did Mommy fix it?" I cooed with a smile.

Hannah gurgled happily and I chuckled, kissing her head.

"Let's go see Nana and Aunt Carrie," I smiled.

I carried her out and disposed of the dirty diaper. It had gotten to the point where I was used to the dirty diaper smell, but it still wasn't pleasant. It was as bad as the boys' smelly sportswear. Randy's football gear and Brad's soccer was worse so, I assured myself it was only for two years. Hannah's dancewear probably wouldn't smell as bad, but I never knew. Dance made you sweat a lot.

"Is the princess all better?" Mom smiled.

I nodded. "That ballerina leotard is really cute."

"Grab the tutu and tights too," Carrie smiled.

Mom did and we paid for the clothes. It was now time for lunch and soon, it would be naptime for Hannah. There were no other kids in the family, so Hannah was the youngest and only granddaughter. It caused Mom and Dad to spoil her but Tim and I had no objection since that was their job. When we'd have grandchildren, we'd spoil them too.

"Sorry, honey, I know you hate the car seat," I buckled her in.

She gave me a look that said she had objections about being in the car seat. She did like it usually, but yesterday, she had been in a car seat for four hours. That'd cause anyone to hate being in a car seat. Even the boys didn't like sitting in the car but it would change once we got home.

"Does she usually hate the car seat?" Mom asked.

I shook my head. "No, but sitting in one for four hours would cause that."

…

The boys were getting ready to play football and I was sitting on the porch with Fred since I still didn't totally feel well. Plus, the boys weren't totally keen on playing with their old man anymore. That'd change once they were married and coming for holidays, but that wouldn't be for a while. It was looking like I would have another sports buddy which would be my own daughter.

After Fred found out he was getting a granddaughter (and that I was having a daughter), we got closer. The bond became less of finding me irritating to neutral to becoming acquaintances. It was something that made everyone in the long run happy since it benefitted all of us. Lillian and Jill wouldn't have to deal with us and Fred could give me advice.

"So, how do you like being a dad to a baby girl?" Fred asked as I saw Brad make a touchdown and he and Randy cheered. Mark groaned.

I smiled as I drank a pop. "It's really fun. It's hard to believe that she's almost a year old already."

"Well, that happens when you have a little girl. Soon, she'll be playing and going on dates with boys that are stupid."

I laughed and looked at him. "With three brothers and a dad, the boys won't make it past the front door."

"That's what you think, Tim, but then they use that sad face to make you change your mind, with those big eyes and upper lips."

"Jill has been talking about getting her into dance when she's two."

I looked at Fred who watched the boys eagerly. With a scream, Brad and Randy let out a loud scream that indicated they had a touchdown. To the boys, football was one of their favorite sports to play and to watch. When the Lions had games, we sat on the couch and were glued to the TV. It annoyed Jill to no end, but she seemed to get over it when doing something else.

"Hannah's started giving those faces already. I can't seem to resist them."

Fred shook his head. "It's an unspoken rule that all dads aren't able to. I'm sure your brother Marty isn't able to resist your nieces. Uncles and grandfathers seem to follow that same rule. Are you able to resist your nieces?"

I shook my head at him. "No, especially when they crawl to me."

"See? Little girls have that special touch that only little girls can give."

When Hannah was older (same with Gracie and Claire), I probably wouldn't be able to say no to them, but we had to. I was able to say no to them, but sometimes it was extremely hard. Their faces would screw up and it just broke my heart. How could anyone resist those cute little faces? It was beyond me how they could. I was a sucker when it came to my daughter.

"She seems to really like football," I smiled.

Fred nodded with a small smile. "I think she'll turn out to be a Lions fan like you, Jill and the boys are."

"That would be so cute. So how's Texas this time of year? Detroit is just plain awful when it comes to March. Well, it's cold and hot, but really windy."

"Texas is about the same all year round. Hot and dusty."

I laughed softly and Brad ran after Randy who now had possession of the ball. The boys knew quite a bit about football so I was a proud dad. Their favorite team was the Lions (thanks to me) and they loved to watch it. Mark wasn't so fond of it, but he preferred airplanes so I was proud. No matter what my kids did, I would be proud of them and they would have my heart. I wouldn't always understand, but I would always embrace who they were.

"She'll be a good dancer," Fred looked at the boys. "Three football players and a dancer, that sounds really good."

"Yes, it does, I can't believe that I have a daughter."

"Try having four. Having four daughters is extremely hard. Just try having to deal with what Jill deals with every month."

I laughed and shook my head. "Having two will be enough."

…

We walked into the zoo after getting our tickets and Hannah was playing with one of her toys while we walked. Today, Mom had decided that we'd go to the zoo. We only had one day until we went home so we wanted to sightsee. We loved animals, so why not go to the zoo? It was Hannah's first time, but she wouldn't understand much until she was about two or three.

"The aquarium is closest. Let's go there, first," Mom told as Hannah babbled and gurgled at Dad who smiled at her.

"Since its closest, why not?" Grandma agreed and we headed there.

Mom pushed the stroller and Hannah squealed at seeing the animals. The tank wound around the building. There were blue fish, clownfish, octopi, seahorse, sea turtles, jellyfish and among other things. It was sort of diverse aquarium, but I saw more diverse tanks at Sea World. Regardless, I loved the aquarium and so did the others, especially Hannah.

"When can we get something to drink, Mom?" Mark complained.

"Soon, honey. Right now, we need to go visit amphibians."

We walked out of the aquarium and Hannah whined, her cup out of juice.

"I'll get you some juice, Sissy," I grabbed the bottle of juice and poured some into her sippy cup as she cooed.

Mom rubbed my back. "Thank you Randy."

I always wanted to help out with my sister. There was no one I loved more than my baby sister (I know that sounds rude). She had my heart and was a special little girl and deserved the world in my opinion. Why? Well, she hated seeing animals get hurt plus she was the sweetest thing on the planet. When she was older, there were bound to be people who didn't like that. I didn't care. I loved my family. As silly as it sounds, she's like my best friend.

We walked in and I smiled eagerly at the frogs. There were all kinds of frogs!

"Do you like the frogs, Sissy?" I looked at her.

She babbled with a frown and didn't seem to.

"Birds!" Mark ran in and grinned at seeing two parrots.

The birds were all kinds. Flamingos stood by the lake. Owls were sleeping on the limb of the trees. The parrots were on another limb, squawking loudly. The peacock was walking around.

Hannah started to cry in fear.

"Are the birds scaring you, Hannie?" I looked at her.

She nodded and I hugged her.

"Shh, you're okay. Bubby's here."

I picked her up and carried her as we walked towards the lions. With a babble, she grinned at seeing the exhibit. The male lion was snoring while the lionesses were eating some scraps of meat. Next to the lionesses, the cubs were playing and were about Brad's and my age in human years.

"Aww, they're so cute!" Mom smiled.

"They are!" Grandma smiled.

"Sissy, do you see the lions?" I pointed to the lions and she squealed happily.

She babbled and Dad smiled at us. Mark ran over and Brad grinned. Though they loved animals, Hannah loved them more.

"You love the lions, don't you sweetie?"

Hannah babbled eagerly. "Wa."

I laughed and didn't understand what she was saying. Soon, she'd be saying actual words so it'd be easier to communicate with her. Pretty soon, she'd be walking too so keeping up with her was about to get a heck of a lot harder. That came with having a toddler so I wasn't too upset. She'd be fun to chase after and play with when she was older.

"Are you tired, Hannah? Is it naptime?" I looked at her as she was sleepy.

"Let's take a break while she sleeps."

I put her in the stroller and we sat down on the bench. She fell asleep in the stroller.


	45. Rallying Around Mark (March 23, 1995)

I walked down the hall and turned when I heard someone crying. When I listened in, I recognized who it was. It was Mark! The only ones home were Randy, Mark and me since Dad had taken Hannah to hang out with Uncle Marty and the babies. Mom was out with Nancy so that left Mark with Randy and me. It sounded too high-pitched to be Randy. That left Mark. Had Paul been bullying him again? The poor kid got bullied by Paul a lot. Randy and I were mean to him, but we always came to his defense when he needed it.

I walked down when Randy caught up to me. "Did you hear Mark crying too?"

I nodded. "I think Paul's been bullying him again. That reminds me: has Vinnie been mean to you lately?"

Randy nodded but shrugged. "Not to the point where I cry. He taunts me, but I just ignore him and move on with my day as you've told me."

I smiled at him. "Good. Now, let's go find Mark."

I walked down and saw that Mark was crying on his bed. His knees were hugged close to his chest and his face buried into his knees. Though he thought no one could hear him, Randy and I could hear from the bedroom. Maybe it was because we were big brothers, but we had radar ears. We could ear when we were upset and we ran to the others' rescue.

Randy and I had done our fair share of teasing him (believe me, we regret it now but that's in the past), but it hurt to see him crying. We've stopped our teasing, but we still act like big brothers from time to time. Currently (2017), we're all good and we're always there for each other.

I walked towards him and put my hand on his shoulder lovingly.

"B-Brad?" Mark had a tear-streaked face.

"Was Paul teasing you again?" I looked into his eyes that looked just like Dad's.

Mark nodded as he started crying again. "Brad, he made fun of Hannah. He said she looked like a stick in the mud. He called Dad an accident-prone freak that just should stop trying to fix things. He—"

Randy hugged him close. "Shh, don't cry. You need to let it go in one ear and out the other, Mark. Do you know what that means?"

"I-It means to ignore it?"

Randy nodded. "Don't pay any attention to those who just are mean. There's nothing wrong with Hannah, Dad and certainly not with you."

"But you guys have teased me and called me a dork too."

I looked down at him, hating that we had done it to him too." We know and we're really sorry, Mark. We say it to you because we're just teasing you. It's normal for big brothers to taunt their little brothers. We didn't realize how much our words were hurting you."

"Yeah, we don't think you're a dork. I actually think you're really cool. And if Paul wants to tease you, he has to go through us."

Mark looked at us with the saddest eyes and it made me want to cry. How did we not know that our words were hurting him? Well, we knew, but we didn't care if it did or not, so we were bullies too. It made me sad that I had put Mark through that and nod known it was bullying.

"Mark, we're incredibly sorry, buddy. We didn't know how much our words were hurting you, we were only your age. Can you forgive us?"

He looked up at us in tears. "I-I guess s-so. Does that mean you won't tease me anymore or pick on me?"

I shook my head at him. "No, but we'll stop when it goes past being a brother."

Randy nodded. "Do you want to have some ice cream with us?"

I nodded at him with a smile. "We can make ice cream sundaes."

Mark nodded as we got up. "Do you guys really think I'm cool or are you just trying to make me feel better?"

I smiled at him. "Mark, you're actually cool."

Randy nodded in agreement. "You can teach us your karate moves and we can teach Hannah about them. That's the best thing about being a big brother. You get to teach them what you know."

"Hannah's only a baby."

"She won't be forever. In a couple years, she'll play with you."

I smiled with a nod and I scooped him up some ice cream. There was nothing like having two little brothers that looked up to you. Randy was starting to not look up to me as much, but we were still close. Mark looked up to me though we teased him and he teased back.

"Should I tell Mom and Dad?" Mark looked at us.

"As much as I hate saying it, yes, Mark. They can make things better too."

Mark sighed and we started eating our ice cream, telling Mark things for comfort.

….

I walked in and Brad and Randy were upstairs. On the couch, I noticed that Mark had a tear-streaked face that made me want to cry. The last thing I wanted for my kids was for them to experience bullying. I was bullied as a kid (I wasn't good at sports, I made things blow up, etc.) It tore me apart that Randy and Mark started being bullied by Vinnie and Paul.

"I can take Hannah if you want so you can talk to Mark," Brad offered and took Hannah to play with her upstairs.

I took off my jacket and walked over to him, seeing that he was watching a nature documentary by himself. It was something he and Randy loved to watch together so I figured Randy had gone to the bathroom. I was happy that he and Randy had something they loved doing together.

"Dad, can we talk?" Mark asked as he turned off the TV.

"Of course, buddy, you can tell me anything."

I looked at his eyes and they were full of tears which made me tear up too.

"Paul made fun of our family again. He called you a guy that should just give up fixing things because all you do is blow things up. He said that Hannah looked like a stick in the mud and he said that I look like a chipmunk with my teeth."

My heart broke when I heard him say that. Why was a nine-year-old crying about not feeling good enough? This was way too young for someone his age to think that way and it made me sad. Normally, Mark was happy and bubbly. He'd run and play and wouldn't think twice about things.

"Buddy, none of those things are true. I do have a lot of accidents, but that doesn't stop me, does it? You've seen how I act when people insult me? I let it go through one ear and out the other."

"You never seem to care that they don't like you."

"No, I don't care if people like me. They either do or they don't. I'm not about to change myself and neither should you, Mark. You're a great kid. You're caring, you're sweet and you're really funny."

Jill walked in and sat by Mark who told her what happened.

"Oh, honey, you don't need to listen to what they say. You're a great kid and if I were your age, I'd wanna hang out with you."

"You would?"

"Oh, yeah, you'd be right at the top of my list along with your dad, brothers and your baby sister."

Mark laughed and hugged into us, his tears making our shirts wet. We didn't mind since this was making him feel better. I had no idea how a kid could tease someone like Mark who's a great kid? I was biased since I was his father, but he really was. He didn't do anything bad and he never fought anybody on doing anything. Times like this made me sad that the world got this bad. It got worse over the years and Hannah had her share of heartache.

"Don't ever let anybody bring you down, Mark. You're a great kid," Jill smiled.

"Your mom's right. If you have people who don't like what you do, just walk away and find someone that does like what you do."

Randy and Brad walked down. "Like us." They walked down with Hannah happily sitting on Randy's hip and I knew they'd come down to comfort Mark too. Even Brad and Randy weren't immune to comforting Mark. I knew all three would act like that towards Hannah.

"You're a great kid, Mark."

Brad nodded and hugged him. "You shouldn't let anyone take that away from you, Mark, your love for learning."

"See? You've got tons of people that love you, Mark," I smiled.

And he did. Currently, Mark has one son, but he lives in California. We don't see him unless it's Thanksgiving or Christmas.


	46. Shopping and Sleeping (March 30, 1995)

I sat with Hannah on my lap on the couch. Today, I was alone with Hannah while everyone else was doing their own thing. Jill was at her college class that prepared her for graduate school. Brad was at a soccer practice for the afternoon, Randy was out at the mall with Beth. Mark was at a karate practice for the afternoon too so it was just me and my daughter.

"Looks like it's just you and me today, sweetie," I looked at her with a smile.

Hannah babbled as if she understood what I was saying.

"What should Daddy and Hannah do first?"

I looked around and saw one of her books that she likes to read.

"Do you wanna read a book, sweetheart? Daddy found your book about colors."

Hannah nodded and crawled to me, faster than the cat. With a smile, I scooped her up and held her on my hip. I walked over and found the book, it was on the shelf with all of her other books. Jill was wickedly organized, especially when it came to the kids, since she didn't like a messy house.

I sat myself and Hannah in the recliner, letting the seat recline and my feet extend to the edge of the seat. With a babble, Hannah touched the book and squealed like I had given her a puppy. That girl was almost always happy and if she wasn't, she was crying, which made me laugh. She was extremely bubbly and reminded me of Jill in that way because she was that way too.

"Here, let's start reading. _Red is the color of apples. Can you spot what else on the page is red?_ Hannah, what else is red? The firetruck, the heart and the sweater."

Hannah babbled and felt the sweater as if it was right there in front of her.

" _Orange is the color of the fruit, orange. What else is orange?_ The carrot, the leaf and the basketball are all orange! Very good, Hannah!"

Hannah seemed proud of herself and pointed to the next page. Yellow.

" _Yellow is the color of the sun. What else is yellow?_ Do you see, Hannah? The sun, a school bus and a piece of cheese is all yellow."

Hannah babbled eagerly and I turned the page. One page was green and the other was blue, which was my favorite color.

" _Green is the color of a frog. Do you see what else is green?_ Let's look, Hannah. The tree? Is that green? Yeah! Is the clover green? Yeah! And the snake? Yeah!"

Hannah whimpered at seeing the snake but I kissed her head. Like me, she'd have a fear of snakes, but that was a common fear. People all had their fears. Jill was terrified of losing the kids and me. Brad was scared of drowning and Randy had a fear of spiders, poor guy. Mark had a fear of small spaces so he was claustrophobic as Jill described it.

" _Blue is the color of the sky. Do you see what else is blue?_ Look at the blueberries. They're blue! The crayon is blue. The water is blue."

Hannah babbled eagerly at seeing blueberries which made me laugh. The girl loved her fruit and even preferred it to some kinds of candy.

" _The grape is purple. Find on the page what else is purple._ The eggplant. The flower and the boots. Good eye, sweetheart!"

Hannah seemed proud of herself and pointed to the next page. She loved reading just like Jill and Randy did. I knew that she'd learn early on how to read and would have a hard time putting a book down.

" _The pig is pink. Do you see what else is pink?_ Look at the flower, Hannah. The leotard and skirt are pink. The bow is pink!"

Hannah was starting to look tired but I kept reading since it lulled her to sleep. It'd lull her to sleep and then I could work on something for Tool Time.

" _The box is brown. What else is brown?_ The acorn. The branch. The mushroom. They're all green, aren't they Hannah?"

Hannah was starting to fall asleep.

" _The koala is gray. What else is gray?_ The rocks, the rain and the crayon! We'll go to bed soon, Hannie."

Hannah was yawning and cuddling into me. Poor thing was asleep.

She was fast asleep so I closed the book and stood up. Gently, I carried Hannah to the crib and I rubbed her back. The poor thing was fast asleep into me with her lion clutched close to her chest. I was something we could never leave home without. It was something that Randy gave her when she was born and she loved it.

"Good night, my little warrior princess," I smiled.

I set her in the crib and kissed her head. I walked towards the door and shut the light off and shut the door. She was finally napping.

"Hey, honey. Aww, did she fall asleep?" Jill smiled at me.

I nodded with a smile. "She sure did. My tired little girl."

….

Today, Michelle and I were going to the mall to hang out since it was a Saturday. I had nothing to do (and neither did Michelle. Dad was out with Hannah at the store and Mom was busy studying. Brad was off with Ashley so it was just Michelle and me going to the mall. Anyways, I wanted to get something to prepare the murals since I was gonna paint them in a couple months.

"Hey Randy," Michelle smiled.

Her long beach-blonde hair was pulled back in braids and she had a brown sweater with jeans and tennis shoes. She looked like a California model to me and no other girl looked prettier, not even Beth. I had gotten over her already, but I knew she had no feelings for me anymore. It didn't matter since I was with Michelle now. I wanted to move on from Beth.

"How'd you do on that Math test?" I asked as we walked around in the mall.

Michelle shrugged and looked at me. "I got a 86."

"That's a good score too. Bs and As are what I shoot for. I usually get As but I'm happy with Bs and so are my parents."

"My dad says as long as it's a C+ or above, that he doesn't mind. If it's below that, I have to redo my work."

"That's how my parents are. If it's above a C-, then they're happy. They aren't the kind of parents that force you to get good grades."

Michelle laughed. "So are you getting anything?"

"I'm getting something to paint on walls. I'm repainting the murals I pained on my sister, Hannah's, walls for her birthday."

"Aww, your sister is really cute!"

"You bet she is."

We continued on and started shopping together. I loved Michelle.

((A/N: Sorry this update is so short! I wanted to get it done before work.))


	47. Uncle Marty & Aunt Nancy (April 6, 1995)

Dad drove and parked in Uncle Marty's driveway. Today, we were helping Uncle Marty pack since he was moving down to Detroit. It'd be exciting to have one of our uncles close by and especially our favorite one. Yes, Uncle Marty was our favorite uncle, but that was sort of mean. Still, we loved talking to him more than our other uncles because he was "hip" but also very funny. Anyways, he had been very protective of us and Hannah and Dad was that way of the twins.

"Hey guys, I'm glad you came down today," Uncle Marty smiled. "Nancy took the twins to see Jill and Hannah today so it's just us guys."

Dad laughed with a smile. "That means we can have guy time. Where do you want us to start packing?"

"We can start in the kitchen. Boys, I'd like you to pack the lighter stuff while your dad and I pack the heavy appliances."

We walked in and started packing the dishes into boxes. Brad packed the plates, I packed the bowls and Mark packed the cups.

"Can you believe that we'll probably have to babysit three little kids now?" Brad looked at me.

I laughed. "It's not so bad. They'll play with each other."

I stacked the bowls and put them into a box. I made sure not to break anything and I taped the box shut with Brad's help after he put the plates in with it. Mark added the cups and silverware with it. After that, we started putting the pots and pans in the box while Dad and Uncle Marty packed the microwave. Dad and Uncle Marty started labeling the boxes.

"The kitchen's all packed," Uncle Marty smiled. "Off to the living room."

Uncle Marty told us that Aunt Nancy had given instructions on how to pack it. She was busy with the twins so she couldn't help pack.

"Your dad and I will pack the electronics. You pack everything else that's light."

"Let's start with the pictures."

We gently took the pictures down and started putting them in a box. We split up the tasks again and it went a lot faster. While Mark did the pictures, Brad packed the toys and other stuff and I packed the stuff that was on the couch. We couldn't pack the table or couch yet. That was all that was left in the living room.

"Is there a room you want us to store all the boxes?" I asked. "The one that's like a closet basically?"

"Yes, please, you guys. We can get the stuff from the kitchen afterwards," Uncle Marty answered as we carried boxes to the room.

We retrieved the stuff from the kitchen and then headed towards the bathroom.

It seemed to be going by really fast. In a few weeks, Uncle Marty and Aunt Nancy would be unpacking their stuff and moving down to Detroit. It was something that really excited me. I loved the idea of having my uncle, aunt and cousins close by, but that meant we'd probably babysit Gracie and Claire along with Hannah.

"Let's pack the medicine and stuff in the cabinets first," Marty told.

He gave us a small box and we started packing the medicine. We made sure that nothing leaked and packed the stuff from the cabinets. After we did that, Dad taped the box and Uncle Marty labeled it. We carried the boxes and made sure that we didn't break or drop anything.

"Twins' room next."

We walked into their room next. Their room was cleaner than mine and Mark's room but anyways, we got started quickly. We packed the toys into boxes while Dad and Uncle Marty packed the clothes. They left out enough outfits to last them the few weeks until they moved.

"Their room is more organized than ours is," Mark commented.

I laughed. "Well, they have Aunt Nancy organizing their room. That's why Hannah's room is so organized. Mom did the organizing.'

Uncle Marty laughed. "I never was any good at keeping my room clean."

"No man is. That's why our wives help us clean it."

I laughed and shook my head. "Better not let Mom hear you say that."

Dad carried the boxes and we had almost every room done. The last room we had was Uncle Marty's and Aunt Nancy's. Basically, we had the master bedroom to do and then we'd be done. It seemed to go by fast, but we had nothing else to do today so we'd hang out with them until later.

"Looks like that's all we needed to do," Uncle Marty smiled. "Thanks, guys, for your help, I appreciate it."

"You're welcome! I hope you come over a lot when you move here," Mark smiled.

"You bet I will."

….

I opened the door and hugged Marty with one hand. The other hand had Hannah on my hip, making sure she stayed. With a laugh, Hannah babbled eagerly at seeing Marty and Marty grinned back. Marty loved having a niece and that she was close in age with Gracie and Claire. Once they were older. They could play together plus they'd have built in best friends.

"Hey, Tim," Marty smiled. "Hey, Hannie. Mommy put you in a cute outfit. You look just like your mommy, in fact."

I kissed Hannah's head and laughed. "That's what everyone says. I think she looks a lot like Jill and acts like her. She's extremely tough."

"That comes with having to deal with brothers," Marty smiled. "Plus, her mom's pretty tough, too. Jill seems to have a great influence on her."

I laughed and Hannah flashed a toothy smile, with her two front teeth in. That girl had me wrapped around her finger so tight. She was just so cute. Even now that she's 23 years old, she still has me wrapped around her finger. She's strong-willed and has her mother's independence. She's getting married soon and has a child on the way, so I'm hoping her daughter will be happy. It feels so weird that it's been twenty three years since she was born.

"I can't believe how big she's gotten," Marty held out his arms and I handed Hannah to him which she didn't seem to mind. Though he was a bit of a stranger, she knew him well enough along with Nancy.

I laughed with a nod. "I think Randy's gonna go down the path I did with you. He's acting like I did with you, with Hannah. He never can seem to be away from her when they're together."

Marty smiled at me. "He seems to dote on her a lot. I think she's got a built-in best friend like you did with me."

I smiled at seeing the way Hannah's face lit up when she heard Randy's name. She just adored her big brothers, but had a special bond with Randy. Jill and I weren't sure of the reason, but we knew it was a pure one. Both seemed happier when they were together so I didn't question it. I often got angry at those who did. He was gentler with her than anyone else aside from maybe Michelle.

"Speak of the devil," Marty laughed as Randy walked in.

He smiled at us and extended his arms out. "Hi, guys! Can I play with Hannah?"

"Of course, buddy." I handed her to him.

He playfully ran upstairs which made Hannah laugh and I laughed softly.

"He's always been that way around her, hasn't he?" Marty asked.

I nodded at him. "Ever since he found out about her. You know the murals in Hannah's room? Randy painted those."

" _Randy_ painted those? Those look amazing. He's a real good artist."

"He plans to change them as she grows. He and Brad seem to be the most interested in being a big brother."

It made me think of my bond with Marty. Whenever I needed him or he needed me, the other was right there with just a call. Basically, we each were a call away. It was a powerful thing—a brother's bond. I saw it every day with the boys. It was more pronounced with Brad and Randy. Randy was that way with Brad, but even more so with Hannah. I was that way with my children. I'd die for them. I'd also do anything to make them happy.

"Want a beer?" I asked as I grabbed one for myself.

Marty nodded. "Sure. I'm really excited to move down here. Nancy and I are willing to help with whatever you need us to."

"Thanks, man," I smiled at him. "I can't believe we both have daughters. It's the best feeling in the world, aside from having sons too."

Marty laughed in agreement. "Nancy's talking about getting the twins into dance when they're old enough."

"Jill wants to do that too with Hannah. She keeps saying the bills will be expensive but if it means Hannah's happy I'm happy."

"I agree and maybe they'll be in the same class."

I laughed softly after thinking about something. "It'll be a fun time when all three girls are together. Especially at sleepovers."

"They'll probably be encouraged by Nancy and Jill," Marty laughed.

I laughed at the thought of Hannah, Gracie and Claire at a sleepover together. It'd be really cute and by then, the boys would've moved out. I would be outnumbered for the first time. That wouldn't upset me though. I loved my wife and daughter so I wanted them to be happy. I imagined seeing tons of pink. Hannah seemed to love Wonder Woman so I was happy.

"How is it possible that she'll be one in two months?" Marty asked with a sip.

"I don't know, but I feel old."

I still feel old now that Hannah is 23. She's independent, strong, caring but has a streak of mischief in her blood. Come on, she's a Taylor. That's bound to happen! Even Jill has some mischief in her. She reminded me of an Amazon woman. She was a warrior. We frequently called her Wonder Woman which pleased her.

….

I sat down with Hannah on my lap on the couch. She seemed more interested in the fact that there were other babies in the room with her. Gracie and Claire seemed to feel that way too. To me, it was funny and cute. Little did they know that they'd grow to become best friends. Now, at 23 years old, Hannah, Gracie and Claire are extremely close and do what Nancy and I do.

"Hi, Hannie! You look really cute. Did Mommy find the outfit that matches the twins' outfit? It looks cute!"

Hannah seemed pleased to hear that and babbled in delight at the thought. Nothing was cuter to me then seeing her happy. Earlier, she started crying because Randy had to go to school and he seemed really upset about it. That just showed me how close they were now. Randy hated being away from Hannah and vice versa. Even now at 23 years old (and Randy at 35), they still want each other.

"She was a little upset to see Randy leave for school," I tickled Hannah's cheek.

She babbled happily and hugged the lion.

"I'm really excited to move here. I can't wait for the girls to play together."

Hannah and the twins didn't seem so keen on sharing toys. One would squawk at the other taking their toy which reminded me of the boys. They fought when the others would take their stuff. Now, they simply pranked the other and that was the end of them taking that. Tim encouraged it since they were fighting and I saw no reason of danger so I allowed it too.

"Hey, be nice now," I gently scolded Hannah for squawking at Gracie who squealed angrily.

"So, are you excited for summer to come soon?" Nancy laughed. "You'll have all four kids home more often."

"Don't remind me," I laughed. "I'll enjoy their company, but there'll be a lot more fighting in the house because of it."

"And next school year, you'll have a high schooler."

"I'm old," I laughed. "By the time Hannah's in high school, the boys will be moved out and having their own families."

Nancy laughed softly and I sighed. Back then, I didn't like all the fighting but now I missed it since they were in different places. Hannah was here at home with us and Randy was nearby. Brad was in California and Mark was in Washington. We only had two of our kids here.


	48. Independence Day (April 13, 1995)

Today, I was alone with Hannah since the boys were at school and Tim at work (plus I didn't have class today). Finals were soon, but I wanted to take a break and spend time with my only daughter. Lately, I had been neglecting to (not on purpose but I had been occupied with studying). I felt bad and I wanted to correct the error. I only had a few years where she'd want to spend time with me.

"Hannah, do you wanna eat?" I put her in the high chair and she made a spitting noise that sounded like one that Tim made.

She babbled and held up her spoon, ready to eat. My baby was starting to not want to nurse anymore which made me sad. She'd shake her head when I tried, but happily accepted "adult" food. She was growing up already. The tiny and helpless baby that I had about ten months ago was gone. She was growing and didn't need or want as much help anymore. I had savored the time as much as I could. She had been trying to talk too.

"Mama," Hannah babbled. "Dada. Bubba. Bubby. Mack."

I turned when I heard her talking. "Your first words."

I knew that Randy's name would be among the ones she said first. She adored him and cried when she couldn't play with him.

"Bubby," Hannah said, sounding like she missed him.

"You miss your big Bubby don't you?" I grabbed some applesauce and put it in on her tray for her to eat.

She babbled happily and started eating as I smiled at her. The first words she ever spoke were our names but that was common. My baby could now start talking and saying what her needs were. How was she that big already? Around two, I'd start potty-training her and I heard girls were much easier then boys. My boys had been growing up fast too. Couldn't they stay little?

"Do you want me to feed you, Hannah?" I looked at her.

Hannah shook her head. "No Mama."

I missed the baby that needed me for just about everything. She was now 23 and I couldn't believe how independent she was. Tim and I often joke that she's like an Amazon woman (or like Wonder Woman). She's extremely independent, can fend for herself but also loved being around family. She was more of a daddy's girl, but she hated asking for help. Tim called her a mini me.

Hannah pushed the applesauce off her tray and laughed in delight.

"Hannah, we don't throw food on the floor," I scolded and she pouted, giving me a look that usually melted Tim.

I cleaned up the applesauce and took her out of the highchair, carrying her to her the living room so that we could play. I knew that she was just playing a game, so I wasn't as angry at her.

"Peek-a-boo," I looked at Hannah who babbled happily.

"Mama," Hannah pointed at me.

"That's right, sweetie, I'm your mama." I kissed her cheek.

"Dada?" Hannah was looking for Tim.

"Dada's at work, honey. Dada will be home soon. Do you wanna go see Dada?" I smile at her.

The door opened and Tim walked in, giving a big smile towards Hannah. With a squeal, she babbled eagerly at seeing Tim come in. Like I said, she's a daddy's girl and even now, she gets excited to see him. She'll jump into his arms (for a hug). He just loves that and makes her smile.

"Dada," Hannah reached toward him.

He paused and looked at me. "Hannah, you just talked!"

"Dada! Dada!" Hannah reached for him and he picked her up.

I laughed and nodded. "She's been missing her dada all day."

"Have you missed Dada? Have you missed Daddy?"

She squealed happily.

I was sad that my baby girl was growing. No longer was she the five pound baby I held in my arms about ten months and three weeks ago. She was a twenty pound almost toddler that didn't need as much help. She was growing fast and it made me realize that I would soon not have a baby.

….

I sat in the car on the side of the road with Brad. Today was a momentous day in our family and especially for Brad. Today was his first time out driving and soon he could get his permit. It was something that Jill said that I could teach. She knew that it was a father's job to teach driving so she allowed it. Plus, the boys had a lot more fun with me.

"Before we start driving, I want to see if you know how things work. Dashboard control panels?"

"Speedometer, controls speed. Tachometer, measures working speed of an engine. Temperature gauge, shows engine's temperature. The warning lights for oil, engine and water."

"Adjust your seat and mirrors. Do you know how to hold the steering wheel?"

"Yeah, Dad, I've seen you plenty of times."

Brad adjusted the seat and mirrors. He put his left hand on the left part of the wheel and put his right hand on the right part of the wheel. It seemed unreal that I was teaching my oldest son to drive already. It seemed like yesterday that he was on the toilet, learning how to potty.

"How do you use the headlights?"

Brad turned the knob and I grinned at how much he knew. Well, I knew he learned it from me! Tim the Car Man Taylor as everyone calls me aside from Tim the Tool Man Taylor which is from Tool Time. Brad had inherited my love for cars and my love for sports and tools.

"Now, go the speed limit and try to follow the signs," I told.

Brad started the car and started driving. "This is awesome Dad!"

"Once you're sixteen and get your full license, you have the freedom to drive and get away from your mom and brothers."

"And from you," Brad teased.

I laughed softly and shook my head at him. Most of the time I spent was with Brad working on the new hot rod or working on the car. Nothing made me happier than to spend time with son and work on the hot rod with him. We were both car, sports and tool lovers which made me bond. I was kind of close with Randy, but we had differing interests yet we had the same personality. With Mark, it was different. He had a different personality and didn't like what I liked.

"Stop at the stop light," I told and Brad gently stopped.

"Was that good?" Brad looked at me.

I nodded eagerly and smiled at him, but felt my heart drop. My oldest was growing up and soon wouldn't need Jill or me to drive him places anymore. He'd be going to college in about four years so we only had four years left with him. We only had five years left with Randy and eight years with Mark. We had almost seventeen years left with Hannah so I was happy.

"Take that turn and drive until you see another turn."

Brad obeyed and kept driving. "Hey, Dad do you think that you'll let Hannah drive when she's 14 too?"

I laughed and nodded. "If she wants too, but I may have a harder time with it because she's my only daughter."

We parked in the driveway. It was a short lesson but I didn't want to make the first lesson be hours long since that wasn't advisable or wise at his age. He had a soccer practice around three anyways so we were needing to hustle. Soon, we'd have busy schedules with four kids being in different activities. Later, I learned that dance seemed the most important in the house.

"How was the lesson?" Jill asked as I walked in.

"It was awesome, Mom! I got everything right when Dad told me!"

Jill smiled eagerly and hugged Brad. "That's great, honey! Soon, you'll be able to drive yourself with an adult in the car."

I laughed with a nod. "Where's Randy and Hannah?"

Mark ran down and looked at me eagerly. "Dad, I got a blue belt in karate! I'm in a higher class starting today!"

I smiled at him and hugged him. "That's great, buddy."

Randy ran down playfully and handed Hannah to me.

"Dada," Hannah reached towards me.

My oldest was learning how to drive and my youngest was talking. How was time going by so fast already?

((I'll try to make the next update longer!))


	49. Troublemaking Taylors (April 20, 1995)

Today, Hannah been downright naughty, but she was at the age where she was learning what was and what was not appropriate. That still was no excuse, but after having three boys who were downright naughty, she seemed easy. She was starting to follow after her brothers, though. I knew she had to be somewhat naughty since her father was one and I was sort of one. It was in her blood!

"No biting, Hannah. That hurts Mommy," I told and put her on the floor.

I sighed softly, hoping that Tim would get home soon. I forgot how much work it was to take care of a ten-month-old baby. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade her for the world, but she was a bit mischievous. I actually loved that. She didn't let anyone get in her way and still doesn't.

"You know, Hannie, you're becoming like your brothers. I should've expected it. You make life really fun, Hannie."

She babbled in agreement and bit on a toy, looking at me with her big blue eyes. They were exactly like Tim's and I couldn't help but notice how bright they were. Her eyes had the eagerness that Tim's did and the fierceness that mine did. How was she ten months almost eleven months old already?

"Your birthday's in about a month, Hannah," I smiled and kissed her cheek.

She gave me a toothy grin and it absolutely just melted me. I heard the door close and I looked over at who it was with a smile. It was Hannah's favorite person aside from Randy and me. She was an absolute daddy's girl and just adored playing with Tim and vice versa.

"There's my favorite wife and favorite daughter," Tim kissed me and bent down to look at Hannah who was squealing eagerly.

"Hey, honey, you're home early," I kissed him.

"Yeah, Al got sick so we're showing a rerun today." Tim picked up Hannah and kissed her cheek as she babbled happily at seeing Tim.

I laughed softly. "Someone's been missing you all day."

"Have you missed me, Hannie?" Tim kissed her forehead as she babbled.

"Dada," Hannah's tiny hands gripped onto Tim's shirt and she babbled, her big blue eyes seeming to just melt Tim.

A father's bond with his daughter was sacred and special. It was one that I didn't take lightly and neither did Tim. We loved our sweet baby that was starting to outgrow some of the things that babies needed. She had been trying to walk for about a week now and it made me sad. Couldn't Hannah slow down? When they started walking, that signaled that we were past the baby stage. I didn't want her to grow up so fast but that was selfish.

I took the stacking toy out and took the rings off it for her.

"Hannah, which one goes on first?" I smiled.

She stacked the purple one on first and Tim and I clapped our hands playfully.

"What's the next one?"

She stacked the blue, green and yellow ones on followed by orange and red. She was scary smart and that made me smile. It meant that she was taking after Randy who just adored her just like Tim did. When she was older, she'd come home crying and Tim immediately would try to fix it. He also would chase her boyfriend with a power drill with the boys helping.

"Is it someone's naptime?" I smiled.

Tim picked her up and carried her with Hannah's head nestled against his shoulder. To Hannah, Tim was the strongest and bravest man and could save her from all the big bads and so could I. But Tim was stronger and braver. All girls (who had fathers in their lives) thought of their dad as their hero. Dad could make people go away by just talking.

"Does someone love their daddy?" I watched Hannah cuddle into Tim.

Hannah babbled and cuddled tiredly. "Wuve Dada."

"I love you more, sweetie. You make Daddy very happy."

He carried her upstairs and we walked towards her room very quietly.

We walked in the bedroom and Tim gently set her down in the crib. He kissed her head and turned off the light. It was amazing how much Tim cared for his little girl and how easily he'd show it. He cared for his boys just as much, but a girl was different of course. They were delicate and showed more affection.

"Still glad you had a daughter?" I smiled at him.

"Super-duper glad," Tim laughed. "I wouldn't trade her for anything."

"Neither would I."

…...

I was tossing the football with Randy when I heard a cry that sounded like Mark's. Was Paul teasing him again or even Vinnie? Whatever it was, he needed Randy and me immediately (not life-threatening but he needed help). Most kids knew not to mess with Mark because they knew he had Randy and me as back-up. Still, kids moved into the neighborhood and often didn't like Mark.

I looked at Randy who nodded in agreement and we sprinted towards where Mark was and my eyes widened in anger. A new kid we didn't recognize pushed Mark to the ground and laughed when Mark fell. The kid was tall, but shorter then me and almost as tall as Randy. He had short blonde hair and brown eyes. He was alone, so we didn't have to worry about more than one teasing Mark. Mark looked over at us and pleaded for us to help.

"Let me go, James!" Mark squealed as James sneered at Mark trying to squirm out of his grip and tightened it.

"Why? Are you gonna run to your mommy?" James laughed.

"N-No," Mark was trying to squirm.

"Mark," I whispered. "Kick him in the crotch."

Randy nodded in agreement. "Once you do that, run as fast as you can."

Following our idea, Mark kicked him as hard as he could in the crotch. James let out a yell and was about to grab him but noticed Randy and me. Most of the time, kids get scared when they see Randy and me. I guess it's the fact that we're known for protecting Mark but it also helps that we've got a reputation.

"Who are you? His bodyguards?" James laughed. "Weenies."

I looked at Randy who smiled at me. "No, we're your worst nightmare. If you ever go near Mark again, we'll make sure you don't make the same mistake."

"What are you gonna do about it?"

I pushed him away and glared at him. Trying to grab me, James grabbed my shoulder but I flipped him on his back. Don't worry, it was on the grass. There was not a risk of injury, but I still would get yelled at. There was no sign of injury on him so I stood him up and crossed my arms at him.

"Don't _ever_ mess with Mark or you'll mess with me. Understand that?" Randy glared at me.

James stalked off and I helped Mark up. His eye was black and he had a bruise on his cheek that would really upset Mom. We would get yelled at for fighting, but we needed to get Mark home so that he was safe. Dad would make us apologize. If we had to apologize then James would too. We didn't know his parents so we didn't know how she would react to us.

"Mom and Dad are gonna be really mad," Mark told as we sprinted inside.

"Don't worry about that," I looked at Mark. "You worry about your bruises. Go find Mom and tell her what happened. She'll put your wounds above anger."

Mark ran to find Mom and I saw Dad was on the couch, watching football. Hannah was asleep in her playpen so I knew we wouldn't get yelled at. As much as Dad hated us using physical violence, he hated waking Hannah up even more. We kenw not to wake her up without Dad yeling at us.

"Where've you guys been?" Dad asked.

I looked at him. "Well, there was a fight between Mark and a bully and we stepped in to protect him from the bully."

"That's great, guys!" Dad smiled.

"We saw Mark being beaten up so we stepped in. We had Mark kick him in the crotch so that he could get away. Randy helped Mark while I took care of James. I only pushed him once and I helped him get back up."

Dad had an angry look but sighed and looked at us. "Was he injured in any way?"

I shook my head. "He fell on his stomach, but the ground was grass. It looked like he barely had a scratch on him."

The doorbell rang and I winced. Could it James' mom angrily coming to yell at us for defending Mark from James? James probably lied to her.

Dad opened the door and James' mother looked at Dad angrily. She had long blonde hair with big blue eyes. She looked pretty, but she was average. I figured that she was probably Mom's age.

"Can I help you?" Dad smiled at her.

"Why did your son push mine?" She frowned.

"We didn't push your son! He was beating up Mark and we were trying to defend him from him, so it's defense."

She looked at us. "And you didn't mean any harm?"

I shook my head. "We were trying to get him to leave Mark alone. We shouldn't resort to violence and we're sorry."

She sighed. "As long as you don't do it again, it's okay."


	50. A Marked Man (April 30, 1995)

Brad, Mark and I walked into the hardware store with Dad so that he could pick up a sawblade. Normally, we'd be allowed to stay home, but Brad had soccer practice plus we figured why not come. Aunt Nancy and Mom took the babies shopping. They were insufferable when it came to them, but I was too. I loved my sister Hannah. Soon, she'd turn one.

"What's up, Harry?"

"How are you doing? Hey, Mark. What can I do for you today, Tim?"

"What?"

"You still having trouble with your hearing?"

"Herring? I hate fish. When did you start selling fish?"

"The doctor said his hearing will come back any day. We came here to get a hacksaw blade."

"Oh. Aisle three."

"What?"

"Aisle three."

"So go pee. Are the hacksaw blades where they usually are?"

Dad walked off to find the sawblades and we discovered a Swiss Army Knife. Normally, Mom wouldn't allow one in the house. She considered them too dangerous for our age and Dad agreed with her. So, we couldn't have one until we were at least sixteen.

"Check out this Swiss army knife."

"You know what that thing is? That's a Swiss army knife. Wow! It's got a magnifying glass, corkscrew, can opener."

"That's right. Tweezers and a nail file."

"Yeah, for Al's mid-afternoon pedicure."

"I'd give anything to have a knife this cool."

"Yeah, me too, but where are we gonna get 95 bucks?"

"We could sell Mark."

"Where are we gonna get the other 90?"

"Harry, I'll just take this one. Gotta get the boys to soccer practice."

"OK, I'll put it on your tab."

Dad, Brad, Mark and I walked out the door to head to Brad's soccer practice. Soon, school would be out and we could go where we pleased and stay later. We just had to call and let Mom or Dad know where we were going and what we were doing. I looked at Brad who grinned at me and noogied Mark. Mark pouted but let him.

….

I walked in while Randy and Hannah sat in the audience seats and played. Soon, we would go home and eat supper. I needed to talk to Al first. I had gotten sick of people teasing me about my temporary hearing loss. Thankfully, it had returned so I could tell them it was back. That usually got them to leave it alone after that. Next week, Marty was moving into his new house and I got to help him. I'd have my little brother to play with again.

"Actually, Tim, there's something I need to talk to you about. It's about yesterday. After you left the hardware store, I noticed a little something was missing."

"Thank you, Al. I do kind of light up a hardware store, don't I?"

"You know that Swiss army knife your boys were admiring? It's gone."

"You're not suggesting one of my boys stole it, are you?"

"No. But knives don't just get up and walk off on their own."

"Well, maybe Harry stole it."

"Why would Harry steal a pocketknife from his own store?"

"To collect the insurance."

"You know, this wasn't easy for me to bring up. I turned that store upside down looking for that darn thing and the fact is it was there when you guys came in and when you left it was gone."

"I know kids steal things, but my boys steal from you and Harry? Come on."

Things like that happen."

"Let me tell you a story about my uncle's grocery store. I was holding my mother's hand. I was seven years old. And she went off to look for the children's appetite suppressant. On the shelf there was a cookie. I stole it and ate it."

"OK, so you're saying you think one of my kids ate that knife?"

…

I sighed and looked at Randy playing with Hannah. While he was known to cause trouble, he knew better than to steal things. He knew the consequences and knew how I felt about stealing. I hated it and usually doled out harsh punishments but to my relief, they didn't do it as often. So, my parenting was working and I hated to think about what trouble they could get in with the law.

…

I walked in angrily and saw Hannah sitting on the table "helping" Jill fold laundry which softened me. It was cute how babies would try to fold it yet wouldn't do anything but mess it up. Jill was good about letting her fold some laundry but did it herself afterwards. We let her play in laundry baskets and she seemed to enjoy that.

The sight of my wife and daughter made me melt. Jill wore a sleeveless olive shirt with jeans and tennis shoes. Hannah was in a sleeveless sky-blue dress with a white collar and diaper. I kissed Jill and Hannah's head. Hannah squealed at seeing me and threw a shirt on the floor.

"Hi, sweetie. How was your day?" Jill folded laundry with Hannah's "help".

"Where are the boys?"

"Outside. And how was my day? It was great. I went to school. I came home. I washed the floor. I did the laundry. I had an affair."

"Who are you talking to?"

"Evidently myself."

"Al thinks one of the boys stole a knife from the hardware store."

"Why would they steal a knife?

"A Swiss army knife. This is the reason the Swiss army is the force they are today. It's got a magnifying glass, a corkscrew, a toothpick."

"In case they get attacked by wine stewards with spinach in their teeth?"

"Boys, come in here. I wanna talk to you."

"You think our boys would steal from Al?"

"No, but Al does and he's not the type of guy who accuses people."

The boys walked in and Randy immediately spotted Hannah. He scooped her up and put her on his hip. She pouted but went back to playing with the shirt she previously threw on the floor. It was amazing what amazed kids. She was interested in laundry until she was four. Brad tickled Hannah's chin with a smile.

"Yo, Dad, what's going on?"

"Settle up for a minute. Al couldn't find that Swiss army knife. Any idea who might have taken it?"

"You know, maybe Harry took it. To collect the insurance money." Brad grinned at me and Hannah laughed.

"Nobody's accusing anybody of anything, but if you know anything about this, this is a good time to tell us what you know." Jill gently advised.

"I know I didn't take it." Brad looked at Randy.

"Me either." Randy looked at Mark.

"Wasn't me."

"Brad, you've always wanted one of these."

"Yeah. So has Randy. If somebody took it, it was probably him."

"You're the thief. You took Dad's hot rod magazine."

"Well, Randy took Mom's Victoria's Secret catalog."

"Can we get back to the knife?"

"Look, we didn't take it. How many times do we have to tell you?"

"Fine. OK, fine. Just go back outside."

The boys wandered back outside and I shook my head. Al was wrong. The boys wouldn't lie about stealing things yet Mark seemed a little off. Randy did not seem out of order and neither did Brad. So did Mark take it? Mark never had done anything of that sort. Usually, it was his older brothers that did stuff like that, but Mark had been aspiring to be like his brothers lately. He would do the things they did and tried to impress them.

"Do we believe 'em? I hope they didn't take it."

"They said they didn't. I gotta take this upstairs."

Jill put Hannah in her playpen and we walked upstairs to put laundry away. She was asleep so we weren't worried. The boys would come in and watch her when they saw her there. She was eleven months old and starting to be able to get over the risk of SIDS.

"Do we trust the kids that would take their dad's Victoria's Secret catalog?"

"I'm worried their dad is the one getting the Victoria's Secret catalog. What are you wearing under there?"

"The reason I buy those magazines is to read the articles. If anybody stole that, it was Brad. Randy couldn't even look me right in the eye."

"That's 'cause you got some schmutz on your nose. What are you doing?"

"Dusting. Very dusty in here. Look at this."

I showed Jill the dirty drawer that had Randy's dirty laundry in it.

"You're searching their rooms. I'm not gonna stand by and let you do that. That is an invasion of the boys' privacy. My mother used to do that to me. I really, really, really hated it. The way she did it was so sneaky too."

"What did she do? Maybe there's something she did we could use."

"It was really stupid. I'd catch her looking in my desk drawer and she'd pretend that she was putting my underwear away. No. If I start searching their rooms, I might as well turn right into my mother."

"Don't even joke about that."

"I am not gonna become a snoopy parent who doesn't trust their kids. Tim! I keep telling Mark not to put his dirty laundry back into his drawer."

Jill bent down and grabbed the pants and a knife fell out of them.

"A lot of guys do that. Especially guys who just stole a pocket knife."

…

We walked down the stairs and Tim struggled to keep his anger under control. I signaled Randy to take Hannah upstairs. He knew Mark was about to get yelled at and knew this was no place for Hannah to be. Gently, he lifted her up and let her up and took her upstairs, letting her sleep. Randy was protective of that girl and if you even hinted at hurting her, you were in trouble.

"Hi, Mark. Having an apple? I like apples peeled, but to peel one, what would you need? You'd need a knife, wouldn't you? Boy. Oh, wait a minute, I got one. I'll just peel that for you. Use this knife here." Tim tossed the knife to him.

"Oh, maybe I'll have a banana."

"Maybe you'll sit down."

"Mark, we found the knife in your pants pocket. Why did you do this? What do you have to say?"

"Who cares what he has to say? He stole something then he lied about it. You let me yell at your brothers and take the rap. You're grounded indefinitely now."

"Before you start doling out the punishment, I think we should discuss this."

"You stole from my best friends. They're family. Is this how you treat these guys?"

"Dad, I'm sorry."

"Forget about sorry! It doesn't work."

"Stop yelling."

"I've a right to yell. My kid's a rotten little thief. That's what you've turned into. Wait a second. Where are you going? I'm not finished."

"You called your own son a rotten little thief. He's not rotten. He's never done anything like this. You didn't have to scream, you scared him."

"Next time he thinks about stealing, he'll think twice about it."

"I hate when you do this. The kids do something, you overreact. Since when are you the only one that makes decisions here? We do this parenting thing together."

"Somebody had to deal out punishment and it wasn't gonna be you."

I stormed off angrily and went to find Mark. While I was angry at him for stealing it, Tim's way of going about it was all wrong. You NEVER yell at a child and you NEVER accuse them of being thieves. If Tim had been calm, Mark wouldn't have been scared and we would've worked it out. Mark needed to be punished but now also comforted.

"Can l come in?" I asked gently.

"No."

"Honey, I want to talk to you. What you did was wrong. But your father came down on you hard and I thought you might be upset."

"I'm not upset."

"Well, I'd be upset if somebody yelled at me like that. My dad used to yell at me like that. He was an army colonel. He was trained to yell so you could hear him from one end of the base to the other." I looked at Randy with a soft look. "Randy, can you leave us alone for a few minutes?"

"But it's my room."

"I'm trying to tell Mark a story from when I was a little girl."

"I'm outta here."

"Hey, hey. Not so fast. Come on, talk to me."

"I don't want to talk."

"Well, OK. OK, then l'll just sit here with you. I could tell you about the time that my father yelled at me 'cause I was trying to sneak out of the house in a skirt he thought was too short. It was way longer than any of the skirts my friends were wearing, except of course, for Darlene Mayberry, but she had chubby knees."

….

I walked in and didn't see Mark. Was Mark in his bedroom? Or was he gone? He was pretty upset earlier when Tim yelled at him. Normally, I saw where Tim was coming from but I _never_ condoned yelling at the kids. That and spanking were the two things I tried to never do with my kids. Sure, I gave a warning tap but that was different and didn't scare them. My parents used corporal punishment, but when I asked them not to on the boys, they stopped (Mom did at least).

"Where's Mark?"

"He didn't come home from school, but there's no reason to be concerned.

"Are you saying he ran away?"

"We don't know. He's not at school or his friends', or the police, the hospital or the pet store."

"Hello. Yes. He's OK. Really? OK. We'll be there as soon as we can. Bye-bye." I hung up. "He went to the hardware store to apologize."

"Well, that's great. That's my boy there."

"Your boy doesn't wanna leave the hardware store."

"All right."

"He doesn't wanna leave the hardware store because he's afraid of you."

Tim looked at the floor and we headed to the store. I knew he felt bad for making Mark feel bad so I was satisfied. Well, I felt bad too. When he felt like this, he always blamed himself and didn't like his parenting. He was a fun father that the kids always adored. He was the best father our sons and daughter could have.

….

I walked into the store and saw poor Mark talking to Al. Al was probably telling him the story of him stealing a cookie. While I appreciated that, I knew Mark was in need of talking to me. I needed to apologize and make him see that stealing was not only wrong but illegal. Since Mark was a kid, Harry wouldn't do anything but tell him it was wrong and tell him not to do it again.

"Hey, Mark, let me talk to you for a minute. I'm not gonna yell at you. I'm really sorry l went nuts today. But what you did really upset me."

"So you must really hate me."

"I really love you, all right? It's just—It's just certain things really, really set me off. When you or your brothers lie or cheat or steal like this, it makes your mom and I feel like we're not doing our jobs. Part of our job is to make you see the difference between right and wrong."

"I know it's wrong to steal."

"Then why did you take the knife?"

"I don't know. If I had the knife, Brad and Randy would think I'm cool. I'm really sorry I did it.

"We know you're sorry. Coming here showed that. It took a lot of guts. I spoke to the governor and we commuted your sentence to two weeks."

(A/N: Sorry for the episodes being out of order! Won't make a difference though!)


	51. Sisters and Brothers (May 7, 1995)

The boys and I were working on the car when Jill walked in with Hannah on her hip and started putting laundry in the washer. It wasn't just my garage, but I was extremely protective of it. I also loved spending time with just my boys. I could pass my knowledge onto my boys just like Jill could with Hannah. Mostly, we just worked in the garage or watched sports. When Hannah was older, she'd watch some too but for now, we just played with her.

"Guess what? My sister Carrie is coming to visit."

"Oh, no."

"Carrie's fun. She always brings you nice gifts from someplace exotic."

"Oh, yeah. Last year she brought us knee-socks and lederhosen."

"Tim, do you have to groan every time Carrie's coming to town?"

"Because I know what will happen. She'll make some remarks. You'll think she's criticizing you. You'll get upset and end up criticizing me."

"I don't need my sister to come to town to criticize you. I love Carrie. I'm just not gonna let her push my buttons."

"The same thing you said when your sister Robin came for Easter, when your parents came for Christmas and weird Aunt Betty for Thanksgiving."

"Carrie and I are gonna be just fine. I haven't seen her in so long. I'm looking forward to Saturday."

"Saturday? Perfect. I won't be here all day. I'm helping Marty and Nancy move into their new house."

"That's Saturday? You can't leave me with Carrie. She drives me crazy."

I got back under the car and groaned. The last thing I wanted was for Jill's sister to come especially when I was helping Marty on Saturday. Hannah's birthday wasn't that far away either and we needed to plan that. We had a plan, but we needed to buy supplies and we also needed to get things ready. We had presents too but what we needed was to wrap them.

….

I held Hannah on my hip and Nancy held the twins as we carried them to the playpen to put them down. It was nice to have my best friend in town which would now be permanent thanks to Marty's job. Hannah had cousins to play with and built in best friends from now on. Aside from the boys, Gracie and Claire were the best friends she could ask for. I couldn't wait for her to turn one. My last baby was turning one and that meant I would have a toddler. Help me…

"Your sister is a freelance photographer?"

"She travels all over the world. She knows how to tell people to "say cheese" in 32 languages. job that she has just fell into her lap. She's one of those people who's always in the right place at the right time. If she lost her balance stepping off a curb, Robert Redford would be there to help her. That actually happened."

"Really? So are you and your sister close?"

"Yeah. We get along really well. Sometimes. Not really. She just drives me crazy."

"My sister and I drove each other crazy too, but we worked it out."

"What did you do?"

"We stopped talking to each other."

"I really envy Marty and Tim. They're so close."

Tim and Marty walked in angrily. Marty was yelling at Tim which was a sight that was hardly ever seen. Unlike most of his brothers, Tim actually had a decent relationship with Marty. They went through thick and thin together. Look at Brad and Randy. They fight but they're as close as Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

"You idiot! You big idiot!"

"Stop calling me an idiot, will you, please?"

"If you stop acting like an idiot, I'd stop calling you an idiot. Big fat idiot."

"I heard that. All right, guys. Come in this way. Watch the door."

"What's going on here?" I asked as I held Hannah on my hip. Hannah hiccupped and cooed happily at seeing Nancy.

"Why are the moving men here?"

"I had a guy to refinish our floors, right? Tim said he had a better guy. He's a bigger idiot than Tim."

"No one's a bigger idiot than me."

"The floors aren't gonna be dry for two days and they gotta unload the truck."

"Marty, I was just trying to help."

"If you wanna help, just butt out of my life, will you, you big butthead?"

Carrie walked in with a big grin and Hannah whimpered, burying her face into me. Though Carrie was family, Hannah identified her as a stranger. We didn't see her as often as we saw Marty and Nancy. When I let Carrie hold her, she would probably cry and I braced myself for it. Carrie was domineering, loud and pushy, but she was also very funny.

"Hi hi! Guess who's here and can stay a week. Oh, Jill. You look great. So wholesome, like an ad for oatmeal. Nobody can pull off that suburban housewife look like my big sis. Timmy! Come on over here and give me a big wet one. My niece looks so big! She looks just like you!"

"I don't think you've met my wife."

"I don't think I've met you."

"Actually, you have. A couple eight, nine times."

"Marty and these are their twins, Claire and Gracie."

"Oh! Brothers, babies, boxes. I love this. It is so nice to know that there are still people like my sister leading their simple little lives in their cute little houses, making delicious little meals."

"I hate her little comments.'

"She's not talking about you. It must be another sister."

…...

Mark, Brad and I were in the room with Aunt Carrie. She had promised us gifts from Thailand and sometimes they were interesting. Usually, they weren't. They were extremely weird, but we didn't want to be mean. We also wanted to set a good example for Hannah since she was learning. Luckily for her, Aunt Nancy had taken her and the twins to the park. Uncle Marty was with Dad and Mom was doing some laundry.

"You know, I brought those to you all the way from Thailand. You put them on your fingers and you do the traditional Thai dance - the Fon Leb."

"We are a Fon Leb-bing bunch of guys."

"Hey, Mark, come on! Let's see what you look like in your present."

"I really don't know about this."

"We do."

"Oh, it looks darling on you, sweetheart."

"If I were you, I'd go change, sweetheart."

…

I walked in as the boys walked out, looking dissatisfied. They and Tim never really liked Carrie's gifts and usually pawned them off to Wilson. While I generally disapproved, they kept doing it regardless. I had a feeling Hannah would do it too, but it was Taylor blood. Marty usually didn't want the gifts but Carrie didn't seem to know who he was anyhow.

I was happy that my sister was here, but she always made little comments that just got under my skin and irritated me. I loved her, but I always enjoyed the distance. I always yearned for a relationship with one of my sisters like Marty had with Tim or Brad with Randy. I was happy how close the kids were and now, their kids are as close or closer then they were.

"So did the boys like their presents?"

"Oh, yeah, they love them. I hope Tim likes his kimono.

"Well, I guarantee he'll like it as much as that kilt you gave him last year." I folded socks and thought about Hannah. Right now, Hannah was with Nancy and the twins. She took them to the park. I was thankful for Nancy. "Do you have to photograph me folding socks?"

"I'm a photographer. I love taking pictures of people in their element. You're taking care of your family. In fact, I'm thinking maybe one day I'd like a family to take care of."

"Really? I've never heard you talk like that before."

"That's one of the reasons I came to visit. I wanted to take a look at marriage, see what it's like, day in, day out, make sure it's not too mundane for me."

"This is like you're visiting a museum and I'm the boring-sister exhibit. 

"Oh, no. I just wanna see how you put up with your life."

"I don't put up with my life. I like my life. You know, I've gone back to school, I have great kids. Well A great marriage."

"Oh, yeah. I know. Tim is great. I could see myself with a guy like him. On the other hand, I just wanna make sure I don't settle.

"Like I did for Tim?"

"No, l didn't say that."

"That's what you implied. Right after you told me my life was mundane."

"You are being very self-centered. We're supposed to be talking about me.

I happen to be at a crossroads here and I try to talk to you about it. And all you can do is yell at me and fold your stupid socks."

"Well, you act like all my life is socks."

….

I walked in with Marty and grabbed us a couple beers. Nancy had the girls (she took Hannah along with the twins) and the boys were wandering the house. Jill was doing laundry probably with Carrie following her around. It made me thankful that she was leaving me alone. She also had been preoccupied with holding Hannah. That gave me time with Marty.

Like Jill, I didn't like my brothers with the exception of Marty. I didn't consider him a brother, I thought of him as a best friend. I was to him like Brad to Randy. It was an extremely close bond. I basically raised him so I was part father to him. He was better than any other brother. I wanted the boys to have that bond. Brad and Randy already formed that bond to my pleasure. They formed it with Hannah too.

"Tim, you took a big step today admitting you were wrong about the floor guy."

"Putting me in a headlock didn't hurt."

"Nancy wanted me to resolve my fight by talking about my feelings."

"I really appreciate that you didn't go that way."

Nancy walked down the steps and it was as if the incident a month or so ago had never happened with me seeing Nancy naked by accident. That was in the past and now we bonded over Hannah and the twins. Nancy was always willing to take Hannah somewhere if it was gonna be fun. She didn't want Hannah to feel left out and neither did Jill and I.

"Marty, I can't find Farmer Fred."

"Who's Farmer Fred?"

"This stuffed toy we use to get the kids to fall asleep."

"Yeah, you know, you pull his pitchfork, he makes barnyard sounds. "Moo" goes the cow and "quack, quack, quack" goes the duck."

"Marty, I got the idea."

"You remember where you packed him?"

"Sure. Go ahead. I'll bring him right on up."

Nancy went back upstairs and it reminded me of how I was with Jill sometimes about Hannah or the boys. Man, it was hard to admit that, but I was. Still, Hannah found me fun so I was never in too much trouble. Hannah cried when I left so she was a major daddy's girl. It upset Jill a bit, but Hannah was attached to Jill so it wasn't too bad. She preferred Randy probably the most anyhow.

"You have no idea where you put him."

"Do me a favor, will you? You look out here. I'll check the boxes in the garage."

Jill came down in a huff and I knew Carrie had done something wrong. During this visit, Carrie's been a bit more annoying than usual. The boys and I try to avoid her and even Hannah takes the hint by begging to go with Nancy. I allow it and I was so shocked at how smart Hannah was.

"My sister is impossible. She's been following me all day, snapping pictures and making condescending remarks about my life. But the thing that really made me mad She says the reason she's staying a whole week is so she can observe how miserable our lives are."

"It won't take a week."

"You think our lives are miserable?"

"Of course not. I'm joking. I'm trying to cheer you up."

"Well, I'm upset. It's no time to cheer me up."

"I'll wait till you're in a good mood, then I'll try to cheer you up."

"I don't know why I talk to you. Couldn't you be supportive?"

"All right, all right. I know it's horrible having a sister like Carrie. From the moment I met her, I realized she's an obnoxious woman."

"Why are you attacking my sister?"

"I thought that's what we were doing."

"I can trash her because I'm doing it out of love. She does have good points."

"First time I met her, she was delightful. She's attractive, fun, the kids love her."

Jill's relationship with Carrie was complicate and hard on me. Though I liked her, I didn't like all the comments she had about our life. Sometimes, I wanted to make her leave but Jill got mad at the suggestion so I never did. The kids loved her, but it was her gifts we hated.

…..

I sat in the audience with Hannah and thought quietly about what would happen. It was now a lot easier then it was to bring and keep Hannah under control. Well, she was a lot more mobile but she also got the concept of being quiet. I couldn't believe she was already a year old. I was more than a bit protective of her. She was my baby sister and I couldn't help it. Brad and Mark were protective of her too and it was really cute.

"Welcome back to "Spring Spruce Up Week" for your backyard. We'll show you how to maintain your wooden deck."

"It's a heck of a deck. This deck is a wreck."

"Marv, if you wanna come on in here. As you see, we have a sagging beam that needs to be reinforced."

"The best way to do that is to sister a matching beam right next to it. What is it with women and their sisters fighting? Why can't they fight like men? Follow me on this. When two brothers are fighting, one gets decked, fight's over."

"I believe you're making a gross generalization. My brother and I have never resorted to violence to resolve an argument."

"There was never a punch thrown between little Cal and little Al?"

"We always settled our differences with compromise and a nice cup of tea. You wanna ask him? He's backstage. He flew in for Mother's birthday."

"Well I think the audience would like to meet Al's brother. Wouldn't you? Yeah! All right. Let's give a big, warm Tool Time welcome for Cal "He's gotta be better-looking than Al" Borland. I don't see any family resemblance, do you?"

Cal Borland looked just like a twin of Al. Cal was bigger but wore flannel too. It made me thankful that Brad rarely wanted to match. Mark and I felt the same way, but Mom had gotten us matching family shirts. We agreed to comply and wear them to make Mom happy. We'd wear them for Hannah's birthday. Hannah was asleep and I was relieved. I didn't have to wake her up. Dad did.

"Well, actually, I take after Father and Cal looks like Mother."

"And a fine-looking woman she is. Come on, Cal. You wanna tell us about growing up with Al? It's hard to believe that all through your childhood you never punched each other."

"That's right. I never felt the need to fight Al."

"As I said, we always resolved our differences with a nice cup of tea. Of course, I would have preferred chamomile."

"Chamomile? You never said anything."

"Well, you never asked."

"Cal, I can't believe this. You hold back on your tea preferences and then blurt it out on my television show?"

"I'm getting sick and tired of you always flaunting your success. 

"You're jealous because I have a prestigious career and you're a lowly physicist!"

"Boys, television show. Live audience. Baby in the room."

Hannah whimpered and woke up. Normally, Dad gets furious with those who wake up the baby, but it was a TV show so he wasn't able to. He'd never let Al or Cal hear the end of it after the show though. Dad was extremely protective of us. It was us who were his pride and joy.

….

I folded socks with Hannah on my hip, deciding to help by throwing socks out of the hamper (not a great help but hey, she cried to let her do it). I saw Carrie come down with her suitcases and I frowned. Had I chased Carrie off unintentionally? It really wasn't that I didn't want her here. I wanted her to be here. I loved my little sister more than anything. Hannah babbled at me and said "Ca" for Carrie. She'd say Aunt Ca and Carrie loved that.

"Something came up and I'll leave. Thank you for everything."

"Leave? You said you'd stay a week. What came up?"

"Uh An assignment. It's far away. I have to fly there."

"Please don't go. I know we got mad this afternoon, but couldn't you just stay and talk?"

"I don't think that's a great idea. I open my mouth, I upset you. Look, I didn't mean to make you feel bad. It's great you're happy being like Mom. Isn't it, Hannah?"

Hannah babbled and let Carrie hold her. Carrie loved babies.

"Don't use the M word. Just because you jet around and you have this glamorous life and I'm, well, a wife and a mother, why does that make me like Mom?"

"I spend half my time trying to figure out what time zone I'm in. I've lived in my apartment for five years and l still haven't unpacked. Do you have any idea what it's like to live surrounded by boxes?"

"I gotta admit it. I've been really jealous of you. It was hard for me when you would call me and tell me you were photographing Mick Jagger under a waterfall in Tahiti. I dreaded when you'd say, "What are you up to?" and l talked about diaper rash. Maybe one of the reasons I've been oversensitive about your comments is because you've got to do those exciting things."

"Look what you've got. Great kids, a great husband, it's a perfect life. Look, Jill, I guarantee you your life is more satisfying than my life."

"Well, what's wrong with your life?" 

"I'm just not as happy as I used to be. Maybe I need a new career. Maybe a husband. Maybe I should just go spend some time with the Dalai Lama, who, by the way, hates it when you walk up to him and go, "Hello, Dalai.""

"You know Whatever it is you're looking for, I'm sure you'll find it. You fell off a curb and Robert Redford caught you. Look, if you really wanna make some changes in your life, you're just gonna have to slow down and think about what you want. And if you wanna talk to me, I would love it if you would call me."


	52. Planning and Permits (May 15, 1995)

I parked in the parking lot of Target and shut the car off. Today, Randy, Hannah and I were getting the supplies for Hannah's birthday. She was only almost one so she wouldn't know that the party was for her. That wouldn't come till next year or the year after I expected. Anyways, we were getting ready for the party. It was only two weeks away which made me sad. My itty bitty girl was almost one and I would no longer have any babies. She was close to taking her first steps.

"Mom, what are we getting first?" Randy asked as he unbuckled Hannah. He put her in the cart and I allowed him to push it. That boy had a special love for her that no one could take away.

"Well, we have to order cakes first. A one-person one for Hannah and then one for the rest of us to eat. It's just your grandparents, Uncle Marty, Aunt Nancy, the twins, Wilson, Heidi, Al and Ilene that are coming. That makes seventeen people."

"That's a lot of people, isn't it, Hannah?" Randy babbled at Hannah who squealed.

"We need to find the bakery first. You can each get a cookie if you want," I told as Hannah hugged her lion.

We walked past the mini restaurants, deli and finally to the bakery. They had cakes displayed from Happy Birthday to Happy Memorial Day cakes. They also had cupcakes and cookies out. There was a whole cupboard just for donuts. It was kids' paradise except Hannah preferred fruit.

"May I help you?" The lady smiled. She had black hair tied in a ponytail with a black hat on and a purple shirt with a black apron. She was short and skinny. She was about Randy's height.

"Yes. Can I order two cakes to pick up on the 30th?" I asked. "It's for my daughter. Her first birthday is on the 30th."

"Aww, she's so cute," The lady smiled. "You sure can. What is the first cake?"

"It's a one-person cake for a toddler. I want it to have frosting like a tiara around it and it to say Princess Hannah on it. The second I want to have a two-layer cake. I want the two layers to look like boxes. Like presents if that makes sense."

"It sure does. That'll be $20. You can pay when you come get them. Do your two kids want cookies?"

Randy and Hannah nodded and they each got chocolate chip. Since Hannah wasn't hungry, she handed me hers and we decided to eat it later. It would soon be naptime and I could shop when she wasn't with me. Randy enjoyed shopping when it was for Hannah or for books. Otherwise, he hated it.

"What next, Mom?"

"We need to get appetizers. Mini caramel apples, cookies, small cups of fruit, chocolate pretzels and cherries."

"Wanna split up and we can we can each find some. I can find the cookies and pretzels if you want." Randy suggested.

"Good idea, hon. Go find them. They should all be in the snack aisle."

I walked down the aisle with Hannah, pointing things out for her. She cooed at seeing crackers and seeing cans of fruit. I found the box of mini caramel apples to make yourself and I put them in the cart. I put in cans of fruit and the raspberries. Hannah just loved her fruit.

"Found the stuff, Mom!" Randy put it in the cart.

"Now, we need drinks. Would Kool-Aid and milk be okay?" I looked at Randy.

Randy nodded. "All of us will drink it. Especially Uncle Marty."

I let him put in the stuff. "We have ice at home, Mom." I crossed that out.

"What should we get for snacks? Fruit?'

Randy nodded eagerly at me. "Appetizers and snacks are the same thing though."

I nodded and crossed it off. "What for an entrée?"

"How about pigs in a blanket? I can tolerate those."

I nodded and put little weenies and rolls in the car. "Ice cream. Neapolitan seems to be her favorite."

We crossed off the food. "Tableware. Napkins first. They have those pink Sleeping Beauty napkins, do you know where they are?"

Randy nodded and we started getting supplies. We got matching cups and plates. It was the most fun part of shopping for Hannah's birthday party. I loved getting to spoil my only daughter for her birthday. This would happen every birthday though I knew the boys would be a little jealous. Anyways, I got plastic pink forks, spoons, knives and serving spoons. We got pink candles and had the tableware all taken care of now.

"Balloons. Over there," I point and we walk over. "I think pink, purple and white ones will do." I walked over and ordered them for the party. I could pick them up the day before the party.

"Look at this Happy Birthday banner, Mom! It's princess themed!" Randy grinned.

I smiled at him. "That's perfect. Put it in the cart. I found the matching centerpiece for it too, so it makes the table nice. I found pink and purple confetti too."

"What next? Hannah's getting tired," Randy pointed out and put blowouts in the cart which I was less than enthusiastic about.

"I found party hats too." I put them in. "Your father ordered an inflatable slide."

"Dad said he got a kiddy pool and a wet slide too."

I walked down to the baby clothes aisle and found a cute outfit. It was a white shirt attached to a pink tutu and the white shirt had a gold number 1 on it. I put it, baby pink tights and some black Mary Janes in the cart. I found a black shirt that said in pink: Daddy of the Birthday Princess. I found matching Mommy and Big Brother shirts and I put them in the cart.

"That's about it. Thanks, Randy," I smile and he helped me put Hannah in her car seat who was now fast asleep.

He kissed her head and shut the door, getting in the front. "No problem, Mom."

…

Brad, Mark and I walked into the mall and prepared to buy Hannah some birthday presents since her birthday was two weeks away. We wanted to buy them ourselves even though she wouldn't know the difference. Mom and Dad loved the idea so they gave us each twenty dollars to buy gifts. We just loved our baby sister so much and wanted to make sure that we spoiled her. I had the murals to repaint that I was also giving her. Brad got a princess wand and dress up dress earlier while Mark got her a new Detroit Lions lion.

Now, we were able to get and wrap the presents we were getting her. It was super exciting and Brad was gonna get his learner's permit with Dad on Saturday. He was gonna pass it hands-down (come on, he knows everything about cars). Anyways, we walked through the mall.

"We should go to the toy shop. They have a plush baby doll that comes with a bassinet that Hannah would love," I told.

Brad nodded. "How is that Hannah's one already?"

I shook my head, but smiled proudly. "This year just flew by. It seems like yesterday that we held her in the hospital. I can't wait to do the murals."

"And I get my permit on Saturday. That means I get to drive with Dad or Mom in the car and you guys can't," Brad told with a laugh.

"Don't rub it in, stupid. If you do, Mom would take it away," Mark joked as we got

Brad laughed. "Well, Randy, how's Michelle doing?"

We walked toward the stairs and walked upstairs with Mark standing behind us. It was fun spending time with my brothers. Well, it wasn't always, but for shopping for Hannah's birthday, it was incredibly fun. Dad planned to get her presents with Uncle Marty next week and Mom had already gotten and wrapped hers. So, it was pretty clear that Hannah would be spoiled.

"She's good. She loves when I babysit Hannah. She goes nuts over it. How's Ashley doing?"

"She's alright. The volleyball team won the game so she's happy."

"Aww good. Is Ashley coming to the party? I asked Mom last night. She said that our girlfriends could come to the party."

Brad nodded. "She promised to come but could only stay for about an hour. What about Michelle?"

I nodded in agreement. "Michelle's staying for about two hours. So the four of us can hang out during the party."

"Good idea. Now, we need to find the toys for Hannah."

Brad walked over and found a picnic set. It was plush and was only about $20. I held it up to me and I nodded in approval. I took it and put it in the cart. I put in the baby doll with bassinet and we smiled. It was now up to Mark to pick out a toy. Though Mark was a bit scared that she wouldn't like it, we encouraged him. She'd like it no matter what because her brothers got it.

"I found a rubber ball set for about $20 dollars. Will that work?" Mark asked as we nodded at him.

"She loves balls, so yes."

Brad and I snickered at the statement but Mark looked confused. We didn't dive into details since he'd learn about that in health class this upcoming school year. It wasn't our job to be sex-ed teachers.

"So we spent all of our 60 dollars then. Good. We can wrap tonight."

I nodded in agreement and we put it up to pay for it. Brad and Mark handed me their twenty dollars and we bought the toys. Carrying the bag, we let Brad carry it and started walking back home. It wasn't that far of a walk and plus we didn't have to be home for two hours anyways.

"Brad, I hope you get to drive us around with Mom and Dad in the car," Mark grinned at him. "That means you get to be our chauffeur."

"Oh yeah, it does," I smirked. "We should get you a chauffeur's hat."

"I should pop you in the mouth," Brad retorted.

We laughed and walked in the house, hearing the Sprout channel. Hannah was sitting on the floor on her play mat. She had her lion in one hand and a sippy cup in the other hand, with her blanket over her legs. She hated binkies so Mom and Dad stopped trying to give them to her at three months.

"Mom, we're gonna wrap Hannah's presents in my room," Brad called.

"Okay, honey. Dinner's in an hour. Wrapping paper and bows are in the closet. There's a pink roll that you can use."

"Thanks, Mom," I called as we headed to my room.

We grabbed the pink roll and five pink bow. Walking into my bedroom, we sat on the floor and shut the door.

"We can wrap the Detroit Lion toy first," I told. "Mark, give me the roll."

Mark handed me the roll and I started wrapping the toy. I next wrapped Mark's set of balls and Mark put them with the three presents Mom bought. Brad did mine. I took mine and put it with Mark's and Mom's. He did his last and once he had them done, we put the roll back.

"Gees, that's a lot of presents," Mark looked at the pile. "We spoil her."

"We do, but that's a normal big brother thing."

I nodded with a grin and he knew I couldn't wait to repaint the murals. That was a birthday present for Hannah last year and it'd be one every year. Mom and Dad had no problem and actually loved the murals. Mark, Hannah and I loved them too so I knew he was happy.

"When are you gonna do the murals?" He asked as Mark sat on the bed with me.

I shrugged. "Next week. I don't think she'll notice until I point it out for her."

"Good idea."

"That's why I'm the brains."

…

Today, I was taking the learner's permit test to get step one of my license. It was extremely exciting except for the fact that Mom or Dad had to be there with me. I couldn't drive without either of them or a trusted adult in the car. It sucked, but at least I could drive at 14 so I decided not to complain. I mean, at least I could drive and Randy and Mark couldn't. Silver lining.

"Hi, my son would like to take the permit test," Dad gave her my birth certificate and social security number.

"Go sit down and someone will hand your son a test," The woman smiled.

She was African American with long black hair in a ponytail and deep brown eyes. She had a maroon shirt on with black slacks. She looked very business-like, a lot like Mom did.

"Good luck, bud, you're gonna do great," Dad patted my back and sat down as I was led to a table and had a test put in front of me.

I put down the personal information and looked at the test.

 _When you see white triangles painted across a traffic lane, you must what?_

 _Stop and yield to traffic_

 _Get out of your vehicle (and party)_

 _Increase your speed_

 _Do all of the above_

Dad had told us when he was driving around. You had to stop and yield to traffic. It was the cause of a lot of accidents. That one was obvious.

 _The stopping distance for a commercial vehicle traveling at 55 mph is what?_

 _140 feet_

 _400 feet_

 _130 feet_

 _300 feet_

It was 400 feet (quite far away since it was travelling at a good speed)

 _What does this blue sign mean?_

It was a place reserved for people with disabilities. Easy one.

I finished the questions on the test and handed the test to the guy. We could get the results on the same day so I sat with Dad and tapped my lap nervously. What if I didn't pass on the first time like Dad did? What was I gonna do then? Would Dad be mad at me?

"Dad are you gonna be mad if I don't pass?"

Dad laughed and shook his head. "I might tease you, but I wouldn't be mad."

I sat down and waited with him. "So, do you think I'll pass?"

"Well, let's see. I've taught you everything I know about cars. You're a car fanatic like I am and you've helped me build one hotrod and currently another. Yeah, you'll pass with flying colors, bud."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you'll pass with a high score."

Before we could say something, the guy walked over with a smile on his face. Did I pass like Dad had said? If I had, Dad promised to treat me to ice cream sundaes from the local ice cream place. It was fun to spend time with just Dad. We did a lot of stuff together. I had a relationship with Dad like Randy had with Mom. Mark and Hannah were close to both.

"Congratulations, son, you passed. Come take your picture," The guy waved me over to the blue picture background.

I stood in front of it and did what they told me. I didn't notice, but it looked like Dad had a proud smile on his face. Anything that dealt with cars and his kids, he was proud and happy.

"You did it, bud, now let's go to ice cream. We can tell your mom when we get home and I'm sure Hannah will be up by now."

I laughed eagerly and we ran to the car eagerly. I did it1 with ease, I had passed my permit test and I was now the first of us kids to get a permit! Next year, Randy would get one, in four years Mark and in thirteen years, Hannah. It was exciting to me that I had something they didn't. I could brag.

"Now, I don't want you to brag and make the other kids feel bad."

Dad took me to ice cream and we celebrated. We walked inside the house and I ran to Mom who was cooking.

"How'd you do, honey?" Mom asked.

I grinned. "Mom, I passed with flying colors!"

"That's great, honey! We can celebrate tonight!"

"Bubba," Hannah pointed to me with a grin.


	53. Walking and Talking (May 22, 1995)

"Dad! Mom! Come here! I think Hannah's about to take her first steps," I yelled.

"Coming, Brad!" Dad and Mom yelled from upstairs.

Running down, they ran down and I looked at Hannah eagerly. It was an exciting time for her with all the milestones. First words, first steps, first birthday. There was so much for her to be excited about! I couldn't wait for her to turn one. Next year or when she was two, Mom would probably put her in dance. She always said that she wanted to put our sister in dance if we ever had one.

It was hard to believe that my sister was already one. It felt like yesterday that she was only five pounds and now she was nearly twenty. She was small for her age. It wasn't abnormally small, but it was small in a cute way. Eventually, she grew to be Mom's height, but it was still adorable.

"I can't believe she's taking her first steps, Brad!" Randy grinned at me.

I grinned at him. "Next week she'll be one! Unbelievable!"

Mom and Dad walked down and smiled at us. Though I was never gushy, I always felt that Randy, Mark, Hannah and I were lucky to have Mom and Dad. They never spanked us (they grounded us as an alternative) and always gave attention. Neither of them felt that we had to pay anything back.

Dad grabbed the camera and stepped back a little. "Come on, Hannah. Take your first steps, baby girl."

"Hannah, come get your lion," Randy held it up.

Wobbily, Hannah stood up and started walking towards Randy as we gasped. I had a strong feeling that Randy would be the one she'd walk to first. The two of them had a special bond that no one could change. It was like Randy's and my bond. We weren't always friends but we loved each other. Eventually, Hannah would lean on all three of us, but always had that bond with Randy.

"Big girl! My baby isn't a baby anymore. You're a toddler," Mom smiled sadly.

Hannah babbled eagerly at her. "Mama."

….

I walked into the store with Marty and I felt sadness weigh down on my shoulders. My baby girl was going to be one and had already started walking. How was time flying so fast? The only person who knew how that felt (that I wanted to talk to) was Marty, my little brother. We had a close-knit bond. It was a bond that shared similarities to Brad and Randy's. We joked that Brad and Randy were the reboot of Marty and myself.

"How is it that Hannah's one already?" I looked at him. "Time flew by."

"I know. I remember when she was first born."

" _Now do you know how I felt when the twins were born, Tim?_ " Marty looked at me with a chuckle.

" _I love the feeling. We need to get the girls together when they're older_."

We laughed and walked towards the toy aisle. It was fun to talk to my little brother and spend time with him. It felt as if nothing had changed. He was still someone that looked up to me and I actually looked up to him. He gave me advice and I gave advice to him too.

"I remember when you asked me to be her godfather."

 _Flashback to August 1995_

 _"So how do you guys like having a baby girl?" Marty asked as he handed me a tool and started helping me with the hot rod._

 _I smiled and looked at the car. "I love it. It's such fun. There's nothing like seeing that little smile in the morning when you change her diaper or when you hold her."_

 _Marty chuckled and looked at me. "I'm twice as lucky. I get two faces that do that for me in the morning. Just wait until they can move more. She'll be twice as fun."_

 _"So, I wanted to ask you something. Jill and I know wanted to know if you and Nancy would be interested in being Hannah's godparents since you're the boys'?"_

 _Marty gave a smile. "We'd love to! Nancy and I love the four of them!"_

 _I smiled at him, feeling proud. "And Jill and I love our nieces. We figured you two could handle the kids. Mom's a bit old and you guys would still have energy. We didn't want to have our parents have to do it if something happens."_

" _That reminds me. Nancy and I were wondering if you guys wanna be the twins' godparents since you guys still have energy. You guys seem like the best choice for doing that since you're already parents."_

 _I nodded with a smile. "Jill and I would love that."_

Marty grinned at me. "Oh I remember that fondly. I'm so happy that we get to spend more time together since I moved to town. Once the girls are older, I think Nancy will want to have sleepovers and all that stuff."

I nodded eagerly and found a top hat. I put it on and Marty started snickering. See? We had the relationship that Brad and Randy had.

"You should get Hannah's present while you're here," I told and found a toy stroller with a doll in it and put it in the cart.

Marty found a tea party set and put it in the cart too. "Would two gifts be okay?"

I nodded. "Two gifts are perfectly fine."

I found an educational puppy and put it in the cart. I put in a picnic set and grinned with a big smile. Hannah would love all of her presents.

"I think we're ready for Hannah's party," Marty smiled.

"We sure are," I smiled.

(A/N: sorry for the short update! The next one is the last one!)


	54. Hannah Turns One (May 30, 1995)

Today was my only daughter's first birthday. How was it that she was one already? How had time flown by so fast? It made tears come to my eyes how fast she grew. Even now, it's hard to believe that she's 23. Today, we had several guests coming. We had my parents, Tim's mom, Marty/Nancy/the twins, Wilson, Al, Ilene and Heidi that were coming. That made sixteen people! Hannah doesn't remember her first birthday but the rest of us do.

"Hey, Marty. Nancy. Come on in!" I smiled as Nancy let the twins and Hannah play together on the floor.

Marty and Tim went to go in the garage. The boys (except Randy who was busily repainting the murals for Hannah's birthday) were in the garage. It was a boy zone to avoid talking to women. Wilson was already in there since he lived next door. My dad was in there too.

"I'm guessing they're avoiding talking to the women by being in the garage?" Nancy guessed with a laugh as Hannah plopped herself by Gracie. Claire had her mouth on one of Hannah's toys and Hannah didn't like that.

I laughed with a nod. "They have to come out and talk eventually. Tim's doing a father-daughter dance for Hannah in the basement later. He's just dressing up and I dress Hannah up and they dance in the garage."

"That's an adorable idea!" Nancy grinned with a laugh. "Hard to believe she's one already!"

"I know! I feel so old!" I laughed as the doorbell rang again.

My mom and Tim's mom were standing by Nancy and talking while my dad was in the garage with the rest of the boys. I opened it and Heidi came in with a present and walked towards Hannah.

"She's so cute! Jill, I love your shirt! Did you get Tim to wear the Daddy one?" Heidi asked as Al walked into the garage to see Tim.

I laughed and nodded. "For Hannah, he'll pretty much do anything. Marty does too and Nancy can confirm that."

Nancy laughed with a nod. "I sure can. He melts over our daughters and Hannah. It's actually adorable to see."

I laughed with a nod as I grabbed some fruit and let Hannah eat it. "Tim was just gushing when Hannah was born."

Nancy laughed and I thought about how I felt when Hannah was born. She was and is my only daughter. How could I not love her? She had the cutest hair and the cutest eyes in my opinion. I wasn't the kind of parent that always boasted. I loved my kids and was proud of them.

When she was born, I felt that my family was complete. I didn't need or want any more kids since I had Hannah. I don't know, I just felt a burst of pride in me. There was something about a daughter that made a mother melt. I had someone's hair to do and someone to doll up.

 _Flashback to Hannah's birth._

 _"Hi, sweetheart," I smiled as her eyes met mine. "It's Mommy. Mommy loves you more than anything, honey. You look so cute. You don't ever have to worry about being scared or hurt. You have your daddy and brothers to protect you, but Mommy's here too, baby doll."_

 _Tim smiled. "She's beautiful."_

 _"We have a baby girl," I smiled up at him._

 _Hannah's hand reached and she gripped my finger. Her tiny hand was small enough to grasp my finger and I kissed her head._

"Hey, Jill, is it time to play games now?" Tim asked as he walked in.

Randy was still busy painting, but last time he came down, he told me he was just about finished with them. It was Hannah's birthday present so he was trying to take his time and both Tim and I understood. We left him alone to let him do that and he'd present them later.

"Randy! Are you about done?" I called.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm coming down now," Randy answered and walked down with his Brother of the Birthday Princess shirt on.

Heidi awed. "What was Randy doing up there?"

"Wait and see," I laughed.

I handed a thing of bubbles to each of the boys and they started blowing them. Eagerly, Hannah and the twins started trying to catch them. It was adorable how they were inseparable. If the twins went somewhere, then Hannah followed. Now, they called each other every day and usually hung out.

"Aww, they're so cute," Heidi laughed.

We next went outside and put the babies in their bathing suits. With a laugh, I let them slide down the wet slide while everyone took pictures. Tim and Marty had a nice conversation and so did Nancy and I.

"She looks so cute, Jill! She's a bit small for her age," Mom commented.

I nodded at her. "The doctor isn't worried and said I shouldn't be either. She's in the normal age bracket for her so I'm not concerned."

 _Seriously? That's what you say, Mom?_

Tim, Marty and Al were laughing in the conversation and seemed to be talking about Hannah and the twins.

We let the kids (yes even the boys) slide down the inflatable slide. The adults kept having their conversation. It was fun to watch the kids play. The boys weren't saying that it was too babyish or that it was too girly. So I was happy that they had kept quiet for Hannah's sake and for mine.

"Can she open presents now, Mom?" Mark asked with a big grin on his face.

I laughed with a nod. "Yes, she can, Mark. Relax."

We dried off the babies and walked in. Taking Hannah upstairs, I took her and got her back in her birthday dress and dried her hair.

"No, Mama. No dryer," Hannah pouted.

I quickly dried her hair and put it in pigtails. "Are you excited to open presents, baby doll?"

She nodded eagerly and squealed. "Pwesent!"

I laughed and carried her downstairs since she wasn't so good on the stairs yet. Normally, I let her walk but when it involved the stairs, that was a no. She wasn't too good on the stairs yet and I didn't want her to fall. Anyways, we walked down and I handed her to Tim.

"Ready to open your presents, baby doll?"

Hannah nodded eagerly. "Pwesent."

We sat her on the couch and handed her a present. I helped her open one. It was from my parents.

"Dwess!"

"Yes, that's a dress. It's pink."

Tim laughed softly and I put the dress aside. The next present was from Tim's mom and I let Randy help her open it.

"What is it, Hannie?"

"Doll!" Hannah chimed as she hugged it. "Doll."

Randy put it in the present pile and I grabbed Wilson's present.

"It's a dream-catcher. It helps catch bad dreams."

Hannah seemed happy either way and grinned.

Heidi got Hannah a new swim toy and Al got her a stuffed animal. Marty got her a tea pot set and a ring stacking set.

"Time to open your brothers' presents. Brad's first."

With a laugh, she ripped open the present and squealed at seeing the princess dress and wand. She loved dress up stuff. Brad also got her a toy purse with stuff to put in it and look like Mommy.

"Bubba!" Hannah hugged him and Brad smiled.

Hannah started opening Randy's present. She squealed at seeing a baby doll with a bassinet that was her age group.

Mark gave her a toy lion and a ball.

"Mommy's presents next," Tim smiled.

I let her open a Wonder Woman dress up kit and she squealed happily. She also got a ballet leotard with a tutu, tights and slippers. She also got a grocery cart set. Tim got her a picnic set, a toy stroller and an educational puppy.

"Let's give the birthday girl her cake," I smiled and had her in just a diaper.

I set her in her highchair and started singing Happy Birthday.

"Someone loves her cake," Lucille smiled as Hannah smashed into it and got cake all over her.

I laughed and let her dig into her cake. Soon, she'd lay down for a nap.

We started eating and talking. Sitting on the floor, the boys sat with the babies and helped them eat while eating their cake themselves. We let them get messy since it was Hannah's birthday plus it could be easily cleaned up. It wasn't something that usually concerned me.

"So, are you excited to have a toddler?" Heidi asked as she, Ilene and Nancy sat by me and we ate on the couch. Tim, Wilson, Al and Marty ate in the kitchen.

I laughed and shook my head. "It means she'll be harder to keep up after, but that's okay since it'll be fun."

They laughed and looked at me. "Well, she has playmates."

I laughed with a nod and kept eating. "It also means that I no longer have any babies which makes me sad."

We kept eating and talking and I laughed with a smile. Tim took Hannah up to give her a bath to let her play again. Bath time with Daddy aka Tim was one of her favorite things to do. I let that be a "daddy" activity so that he could bond with her and he kept doing it until she was seven.

"Look who's back," Tim smiled at me.

He set Hannah down in the play yard with the twins who were looking sleepy. I had a feeling that both would take a nap sooner or later.

"Aww, Jill, look," Tim pointed.

The twins and Hannah were fast asleep in the playpen.

My baby girl was one…

….

After everyone left (and Hannah was cleaned up) I wanted to show the family my murals for Hannah as my other present for her. It was something that I didn't want to be a big deal so we decided to do it once it was just the six of us, Mom and Dad understood and actually agreed since we didn't want Hannah to get overwhelmed. I didn't want her to cry.

"Are you guys ready to see the mural?" I asked.

They nodded and I opened the door to Hannah's room. Mom gasped with a smile and Dad grinned widely.

The first one was of all six of us. I changed it to make us look like we did now and it looked absolutely adorable (biased opinion). I changed Dad's hair to look like the 80's hairstyle he had now. I shortened Mom's hair and changed Brad's. I made mine look a little longer. I put pigtails on Hannah and made her look older.

"I love that one," Mom smiled in tears.

She looked at the next one. I had painted Mom in a pink tutu dress. She held a girl's (toddler—Hannah's) hand and Hannah had a matching dress. Both had tights and slippers on. I put a ballerina bun on each of them and they looked like real ballerinas now which was the point.

"Randy, it's amazing," Mom smiled in tears.

I smiled. "Look at the next one, Dad."

The next one had Dad, Hannah and the red hotrod. I painted Dad sitting on top of the hot rod, in his gray shirt with jeans. Hannah was wearing a gray shirt with overalls and looked just like a tomboy. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a gray hat backwards like a tomboy.

"Bud, I love that, it looks really cute!" Dad smiled at me.

I showed them the last one. It was of the four of us kids. Brad was on the left with a Detroit Lions' jersey on him with a football in his hand. Mark was on the right with the same thing and also had a football. I was in the middle, holding Hannah and helped her hold a football.

"You did an amazing job, Randy!" Dad smiled at me.

….

I prepared for my "dance" with Hannah by getting in a suit and combing my hair. Though it seemed silly to do all this prep, I wanted to do it for Hannah. As she grew, she loved it and even as a teen, she did. I was sad that she was already one, but I knew that she had to grow up. I just hated that my baby girl was growing fast. It seemed like yesterday that she was a tiny baby.

I remembered when she was born. She was only five pounds or so and completely helpless and now she was twenty. It felt like yesterday that she was born and now she was graduated from college and a veterinarian with a daughter. How was it that she had grown so fast?

Flashback to Hannah's birth.

 _I held my baby girl in my arms and my smile widened when her reflex smile came. With a laugh, I kissed her head and looked at my little bundle. She had Jill's dark brown hair, but my bright blue eyes. That was an odd combination, but she looked beautiful nonetheless._

 _"Hi, princess, it's Daddy. You're daddy's one and only princess, do you know that? Daddy loves you more than any other little girl in the world. Even your cousins._

 _You're as beautiful as your mommy. Just know that I'll make any big bad go away and so will your brothers. My princess."_

 _I kissed her head and looked at my tiny bundle in my arms. Whenever I looked at her, my heart warmed with love._

 _I (and her brothers) was the first man she'd experience in her life. When she grew up, I wanted her to see and pick a man that was worthy of her. To me, no man was worthy of getting my princess. I wanted her to see that not all men were dumb and rude (if they were, they'd meet my wrath)._

 _I was also her protector. I protected Jill and Hannah in a different way than I protected my boys. While they needed protecting at times, I saw that my daughter and wife needed more of it._

 _I was still awestruck that I had a daughter. I had someone who'd call me Daddy from when she started talking to the day I died. I had a human who'd greet me at the door and her smile would just brighten my day._

 _The tiny being had grabbed my hand and fallen asleep. Her breathing went up and down and I kissed her head._

 _"You love having a daughter, don't you Tim?" Jill asked and I kissed her head._

 _"More than anything. I love you, baby doll."_

"Tim," Jill's voice snapped me to attention and I smiled at Hannah. She was in a beautiful pink dress with tights and Mary Janes.

My daughter looked absolutely beautiful. No matter what, I always thought she was beautiful since I was biased.

"Daddy loves you, Hannah," I smiled.

She babbled and I carried her downstairs. I cuddled her in my arms. She was one and I was feeling sad.


End file.
